The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective
by C.W. Smith
Summary: They told him his life before the dark halls of Arkham was a lie. The only solice he had was in the maddness of the Rouges, and the faith of a plant.
1. Truth is Crazier then Fiction

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Chapter 1: Truth is Crazier Then Fiction

A Fullmetal Alchemist/Batman Crossover

Disclaimer: Using the Batman cartoon as a premise. Also working off events in COS

How long had it been really since he had found himself here. If you asked him he wouldn't really be able to tell you. Could have been days, or years. Not that it mattered to him much. He had the books in the asylum library to keep him busy. Every book on history and science he had mowed through, researching, studying. Not that he expected to be able to use it any time soon, but it was more then enough to keep him occupied.

The doctors thought he was delusional. And though he hadn't violated any laws he was still held in the criminally insane wing of the asylum. Mostly because it was the only section of Arkham capable of holding someone with his uniqueness. After all, the regular wards didn't know how to handle someone with two metal limbs.

"_This is what I get for telling them the truth. You would think the arm and leg would be proof enough that I'm not from this world,"_ Edward Elric thought idly as he finished the history book in his hands. Not that it was a bad arrangement for him at the moment. He had more then enough time for his research, got three meals a day and a warm place to sleep. There was only one really annoying aspect of his situation.

"So, the little wind-up toy finished another book. Perhaps now he'll learn what a joke really is," the taunting voice of that annoying clown he was stuck across said. Edward held back his anger at the insult. All it would get him was a sore throat. Also, it seemed that the clown preferred when he got a rise out of people, found it funny. Edward had discovered that when people didn't react to his joke was when the clown really got pissed.

It wasn't the same as trading insults with Mustang. At least then there was give and take, as well as something creative. Edward may have considered Bastard General Mustang many things he disliked, but unlike the clown everyone here called the Joker, the jests had never been designed to hurt, just tease.

Still, it was getting around time for the regular common area time for all the inmates. He did find it a bit relaxing to discuss scientific theories with some of the more intelligent convicts. Granted, he didn't agree with their actions or their motivations most of the time. The only one who had somewhat of a respect for was Poison Ivy. He didn't agree with her actions or tactics at all, but could at least understand her concerns regarding this worlds plant life.

Fact was he spent most of his free time outside of his cell talking with her. And when Harley was inside she'd hang with both. The Joker's Hench-girl was about as nutty as her boss, but no where near as annoying. She also did one thing that made Edward not dislike her. She listened to him talk about his world and didn't consider him nuts.

"One of these days I'd like to see how you do what you do with your plants Ivy. I never really excelled at Alchemy involving plants," Edward said.

Yes, he had told Ivy about Amestris, Resembool, and alchemy. It kind of irked Edward that it was the crazies locked up here that had no problem believing him, while the supposedly sane doctors couldn't figure him out.

"Well, it does involve some chemical combinations as well as some time intensive hybridization but it gets the job done."

Edward chuckled, "If I could get you back home I'd have to introduce you to the Triggum's. Fletcher, the younger brother of the two, is extremely skilled in plant alchemy."

Ivy smiled, "You still trying to find a way to get back?"

Edward seemed to deflate some at that point, "I just thought there was this world and then my world. But the more I read the more I get discouraged. All those quantum theory books keep telling me is that even if there were a way to cross back over, there are an infinite number of other worlds out there. It would take longer then I have in five life times to find the one I belong in."

That was really all Edward wanted, to go home. He wanted to walk the fields of his home again, to find out if his sacrifice had been enough to save his brother. He wanted to see Winry again.

Ivy could tell her companion was slipping into a bit of a funk, and placed her hand on his left. She bit her lip and decided it might be the best way to help him. She knew Edward didn't care much for her actions, or what she thought was the way things should be to advance her crusade. He at least respected her concern for plant life and that was more then enough.

"You know, you might want to break out of here. The Arkham library isn't exactly the most extensive," Ivy said.

Edward chuckled, "Maybe, but what good would it do? I don't know this world really. I don't even know what half the things I've read about do. Like these computers everyone keeps talking about. What exactly would I do if I was on the outside."

Ivy bit her lip a little, "Well, can you still perform alchemy?"

That was something Edward hadn't thought about. His first trip through the Gate his father had told him Alchemy couldn't work here. Even though he had ended up with his Automail completely intact, he hadn't tried to perform one transmutation.

He answered honestly, "I don't know. I had just taken it as a given that I couldn't."

Ivy decided to take the initiative and wooden object from somewhere, "Give it a try. No harm in that. If your right nothing happens, if your wrong then you haven't quite lost everything."

Edward couldn't reject that logic. So he focused his mind and clapped his hands. At some point Harley had walked up behind Ivy and was watching. Ed placed his hands on the object, and for a moment nothing happened. Then the familiar blue light of alchemic energy pulsed through the object Ivy had grabbed, breaking down and recombining itself into a small wooden wrench.

Edward was amazed for a moment, Harley let out a startled shriek then a cry of amazement, and Ivy had a small smirk on her face as the young man smiled brighter then she had ever seen on his face. She couldn't help but say, "Well, seems you haven't lost your touch at all."

Edward smiled and looked at the wooden wrench for a moment, "Of all the things I had to transmute that into, I choose the one thing that reminds me of Winry."

Ivy could tell the mention of the girl had caused Edwards mood to drop somewhat, but that did not deter the diabolical botanist, "Well, now that you know you have that ability still I suppose what you do if you break out is on you. I just know you aren't going to find your answers in here."

It was then that Edward decided that his time here at Arkham Asylum was at an end.

--

This was defiantly one of the more unusual breakouts this year. That was Tim Drake's, known to the world as Robin, first thought as he and Batman inspected the cells of two of Arkham's most recent inmates. While Poison Ivy was a regular on their to do list, the other escapee neither had even heard of. He had apparently been the one to plot and perform the jail break. Thing was until that point the staff at Arkham hadn't labeled him a problem.

"So this kid did this?" Robin asked as they looked at the perfect hole in Ivy's cell.

"Yes, he's never shown any interest in escaping. He's mildly delusional, yet highly intelligent. Managed to blow through the entire library on site within a few months," the doctor on call, Dr. Trevalian said.

"What was he doing here?" Batman asked. Everything in the file on this Edward Elric said he was only seventeen. That was rather young for an inmate in Arkham. Also he didn't have any previous criminal record, another thing Batman found strange.

"He has delusions, says he from a different universe where he was an Alchemist for the State."

"But why Arkham? This is a maximum security facility, not a place for a child who can't tell fantasy from reality, "Batman said.

"Usually I would agree, however he had some abnormalities only Arkham was capable of dealing with."

Batman looked over the records, "A metal arm?"

"And his left leg. Frankly I've never seen anything like it. The arm has all the fine motor control you'd expect from natural limbs. Though it does possess more inherent strength then a normal arm due to the materials used. Due to this it was felt if he did become violent we'd be better able to control him. In fact he did have one violent outburst we had to ask Killer Croc to help with."

That got the pairs attention, "You had Killer Croc deal with him?" Robin asked.

"Edward managed to over power every orderly we had. The only person around he couldn't was Croc so that's who was involved."

"What set it off?" Batman asked.

"A needle. We were giving the inmates their flu shots. Apparently, Edward is extremely terrified of needles. All Croc had to do was hold him steady and keep his arm extended. Though we never made the mistake of medicating him like that again. He didn't have a problem with pills, just needles. Also despises milk. We just gave him water and added calcium supplements to his medications."

Batman nodded, "Any idea how he pulled this off?"

Dr. Trevalian shook his head, "You have to see the security camera footage. I have never seen anything like this."

The three people entered the security office and watched the tapes of what had happened. Needless to say Robin was rather amazed. The kid just clapped his hands and placed them on the walls or cell doors. After a flash of light there were holes big enough for him to escape. The same with Ivy's cell and several walls between them and freedom. Several walls had popped up as well, and some of the guards and orderlies had actually ended up held by the floor itself.

"Before they actually made their escape they broke into the prisoner property room. The only thing I see in the files he had on him when he was admitted was a silver pocket watch. He took that and his clothes. Ivy grabbed hers as well and they left."

Batman watched the video, Edward Elric seemed to have taken the time to pull on his clothes as well before leaving. Black shirt and jacket, black pants and boots, as well as a red cloak of some kind with a symbol of a cross with a serpent wrapped around it on the back.

Something however bothered the Batman, "Why did he escape with Ivy?"

Dr. Trevalian shook his head, "Couldn't tell you. He did spend a lot of time in her company during the common periods. Didn't seem to really associate with any of the other inmates. Though he did speak with Harley Quinn a few times. But that was only because of her association with Poison Ivy."

Robin couldn't help but quip, "Maybe he's got a crush on her."

Batman didn't say anything, just taking in every clue he had at the moment.

--

It had taken them a bit to get back to Ivy's hideout in Toxic Acres. Ivy made a good point that they would need to lay low a few weeks before they ever tried to consider anything else. Edward couldn't find fault with her logic. After all, she was the dangerous criminal and he was just a wayward alchemist. Also there was the fact that she was the only person in this world Edward could trust at the moment.

He had bitten back and held his inherent fear of needles at bay when Ivy had inoculated him against the poisonous environment around them. That alone had been a major triumph for him. Fact was that even at seventeen he hated needles. Still, Ivy had been insistent that he needed this shot. At least that damned crocodile chimera wasn't around to hold him down this time.

He just looked out the window at the deserted neighborhood around them. He didn't know what exactly this toxic waste that was below the surface was, but from Ivy's description he knew he didn't like it. That such desecration of the land could happen, then someone would try to just bury and let families live over a ticking time bomb angered him. Where was the justice in this?

It wasn't just that though that dragged down Edward's mood. The whole time they had been making their way there he had seen how lifeless this city had seemed. Not that it was devoid of people, but in many places it was more along the lines that there was barely any real hope here. He could see why someone would try to step up and bring some light to this dark world.

That didn't mean he intended to follow in the Batman's footsteps himself. He never would be able to follow Ivy's example though either. Both of them knew that. His best option was to try to find some way of getting back to his world. That was really Edward's primary concern.

"Its so dead here," he whispered to himself.

He was still pretty wired from the escape. So he stepped out of the house he and Ivy were using and stood on the dessicated remains of the lawn. He placed his hands on the ground, his mind and body instinctively analyzing the components of the toxins and heavy metals that saturated the soil. This wasn't the kind of alchemy he was skilled at, and it would take a major amount of work and energy to transmute all the crap out of the place.

He had some time to kill though, no reason not to give it a shot. He clapped his hands and started working.

--

Bruce Wayne ate breakfast while looking over the file from Arkham on Edward Elric. Aside from the diagnosed condition, Bruce didn't see anything that would lead him to assume the boy was dangerous. There also wasn't any indication from the files at least that pointed to why he would associate with someone like Pamela Isley.

The transcripts on Elric's sessions always showed he had at the very least an aversion to criminal activity. His delusions, as the doctors on site considered his ailment, always had him as some sort of hero. It seemed to be a very well constructed fantasy world. Though honestly at this point Bruce was starting to think there maybe more fact to this then the psychiatrists gave credit for. It still didn't explain why he'd break out a convicted criminal like Ivy.

"You seem perturbed sir," Alfred said as he poured a cup of coffee.

"Just trying to figure out why someone who thinks they are a servant of the people would break a known convict out of jail along with himself," Bruce said.

"A peculiar conundrum I agree," Alfred said.

"I still say he's got the hots for her," Tim chimed in.

"A reasonable assumption considering. He is a young man and Ms. Isley is a rather attractive woman," Alfred conceded.

"Maybe, but I don't think so. Elric's profile show him to be unforgiving of the sort of crimes Ivy's committed. He has engaged her in scientific discussions as well during periods at Arkham. Then there are the specifics of his delusions. If you go from that then in his mind he doesn't know anything of the world outside of Arkham. He might think he needs someone to help him understand things that to everyone else is normal," Bruce said.

"But why Poison Ivy of all people?" Tim asked.

"He knows Ivy, knows what she's capable of, knows what she thinks. He didn't associate with any of the other inmates to the extent he did her. He might not agree with her tactics, and in other circumstances would help bring her in. However, she is the closest thing to someone he can trust right now."

"And his method of escape?" Alfred asked.

"He mentions being an Alchemist in the transcripts. In his mind Alchemy is a science and not some form of magic. When he was asked how such a thing would work he answered very specifically, and very technically. Assuming that he's doing what he claims in the sessions, then he was able to break out by recombining the molecular structure of matter."

"Whoa, time out. It almost sounds like your starting to believe him," Tim said.

"I don't know if I believe he's from another universe just yet. But I wouldn't rule it out completely. There is still the matter of his arm and leg," Bruce said.

"Another conundrum to be sure," Alfred said.

"Yes, this Elric is just one mystery after another."

--

It had been a late night, but Ivy didn't mind waking up in a nice bed and not the bunks of Arkham. She could enjoy some of the benefits of freedom, even though the area was completely unforgiving. Of course she had taken care of that through her own methods to maintain some usable utilities. Like clean water for the shower and the kitchen for some nice herbal tea. She was just about to start a pot for tea when she looked out the window to the backyard. She nearly dropped the kettle.

The backyard of their hideout was filled with healthy green grass. The trees and several flowering bushes were in full bloom and completely untainted. Ivy couldn't believe her eyes. Even her most advanced experiments couldn't have achieved this in one night. She ran to the front door and looked out, and saw the same thing in every yard down the block. This made no sense at all. The ground here barely supported plants at all. The other amazing thing that stunned her were the large stacks of metal ingots and a few vats of what appeared to be mercury. Ivy couldn't believe what she saw. This was miraculous beyond anything she could ever conceive.

Ivy ran straight to the room Edward was using and threw the door open. He was laying there draped across the bed in his clothes, the black jacket and red cloak hung over a nearby chair. She tried to shake him awake. All she got was him mumbling, "Just a few more minutes, Winry."

Ivy just shock him harder until he fell out of bed. Edward shot up and still looked pretty out of it. He looked up at whomever had dared woken him vowing pain upon their person when he saw the state of dress of his housemate...

Or state of undress as it were. Ivy had completely forgotten that she was only wearing a button down shirt, that she had really only buttoned the minimal number of buttons on. Because of this Edward got a very decent look at Ivy's legs and bust as it peaked out of the shirt. He blushed rather horribly and looked away. "So what's up?"

Ivy would have smirked at the young man's reaction if she wasn't still in a state of shock. She grabbed his left wrist and dragged him through the house to show him the view from the front windows. He mouth just kept opening and closing, "Wha... how... di... "

"Oh that? I was still wide awake when we got in last night and decided to do some transmutations. Wanted to make sure I wasn't out of practice. Getting all the heavier metals and inorganic materials out of the ground took a while, not to mention compressing it all into a usable form. I didn't know silver, gold, and platinum ended up in toxic waste around here."

That was something Ivy hadn't bothered to notice before. She had just seen the massive stacks of ingots up one side of the block and down the other. She hadn't taken the time to actually see what kinds of metals there were. Several stacks were precious metals, as well as metals that could be used for several useful things like iron, copper, and the most prevalent stacks of lead.

"I would have thought someone would have come up with a way to break chemicals at the molecular level by now in this world. Did you know that there was so much of that waste down there that when I transmuted it and recombined it into a fertilizer that it pretty much laced the entire ground at least fifty feet down."

Ivy was just stunned. A brief breeze of wind however kicked her night shirt up a bit causing her to shiver. This was nothing short of a miracle. The ground and soil of the area known as Toxic Acres was supposed to be so saturated with toxins that even super fund clean up protection couldn't begin to clean up the place. Ivy didn't even know if her more robust plant strains could have done this.

"Um... you... really want to be out like that?" Edward asked.

Ivy looked down at her state of undress and finally realized she was dressed in her night shirt... and nothing but the thin fabric of that night shirt. Ivy was many things which included murder, fanatic, thief, kidnapper, and seductress. So instead of running inside as fast as she could, she pressed herself against Edward and ran her arms around his neck. She just couldn't help herself and smirked at his rapidly spreading blush. She ran her fingertips along the back of his neck then planted a steamy kiss that could have melted his automail right on his lips.

She still had that smirk on her face as she left him standing stunned on the front lawn and went inside with an extra swing in her hips. He might not agree with her tactics, and would turn her in if he thought it was just, but she at least knew where he stood in regards to what she felt was important now.

Edward's brain took a bit to reboot. And when it did all he could say was, "I guess she liked it."

--

It went like that for the next several days. Edward felt a little awkward around Ivy after the kiss on the lawn. He kept himself busy ensuring the entire area was completely cleaned out. It took him about a week to declare his little project complete. When Ivy took soil samples from all over the entire development and analyzed that she was shocked to find that the soil was now more nutrient rich then any she had ever seen.

They still had the matter of what to do with all the metal ingots Edward had made out of the metals that had poisoned the earth beneath them. He had been thorough and in front of ever house in the development you could see stacks of lead, iron, steel, vats of mercury, and copper. Ivy had insisted that they secure the precious metals Edward leeched to the surface. Dealing with getting rid of this sort of thing defiantly wasn't the sort of thing Ivy was good at. That's when she decided that it was time to introduce Edward to one of Gotham's other rouges.

Needless to say when Oswald Cobblepot saw the restoration of the area and the stacks upon stacks of materials his first reaction had been similar to Ivy's. He was stunned and amazed by what he was seeing. The sight of the bars upon bars of precious metals left Oswald speechless. Not much could keep the man known as the Penguin off his game.

Ivy invited Penguin in for a cup of tea to discuss what to do with the sudden wealth that had been literally dropped in her lap. Edward sat with them, but left most of the talking on this to Ivy. It really didn't matter to him one way or the other.

"I can see why you insisted I come and take a look instead of coming to me as usual. This is defiantly not the sort of thing you can just spirit in without being noticed."

"So what do you think," Ivy asked.

"Without an exact measurement of what is out there this is just speculation, however I believe you have at least several hundreds of million dollars worth if not a few billion with the precious metals alone. That isn't taking into account all the other metals stacked up around the neighborhood. Taking that into account you have several options. Considering that not a single bar was stolen we could actually go through legitimate channels to sell off the majority of the material here," Penguin said.

Ivy wasn't certain what that would mean as she was still wanted. Cash was the preferred currency for most any criminal in Gotham. What Penguin was suggesting would be completely legal, but also result in needing things that could get her caught and sent back. Edward chimed in at this point, "What would be involved in us just buying the entire development area?"

Ivy's head whipped around and starred at him. She wondered what he might be thinking. Penguin dutifully answered, "Well, if you wanted to do such a thing I could set up a dummy corporation and carry out the purchase under that name. I'm not sure why you would want to do such a thing though."

Ivy knew something was going through Edward's head though. So she asked, "What exactly are you thinking?"

Edward crossed his arms across his chest and lowered his chin to his chest in thought, "I was just thinking that maybe we could do something here. Maybe turn the area into something like a botanical garden or something. Would be rather fitting considering this was a wasteland last week."

Ivy was impressed at his idea. It was both in line with her views, and poetic justice as well. Penguin was the first of the two rouges to speak, "That is certainly doable. You could purchase the land here for that purpose and still have more then enough for any construction work you would need for such a thing. You would even have enough afterwards to finance the site for years to come almost."

Edward nodded then asked, "Where in this city would I find advanced research in quantum physics?"

It seemed unrelated, but Penguin answered, "Your best options would be Gotham University or Wayne Enterprises. Though I don't see how a botanical garden would relate."

"Does Mr. Wayne make it a point to attend functions like say a grand opening of a large public site like say a botanical garden dedicated to advancing the cause of environmental reclamation?"

Penguin and Ivy both saw the method to his madness, "Why yes he does, especially events that advance causes of public benefit." Penguin answered.

Ivy smirked, "Are you planning to get Wayne here and pump him for information?"

Edward couldn't hold back a smirk of his own, "Why take the time to break in and bring down the law on our ears when we can find out if it's even worth our time by asking."

The two rogues had to hand it to the young man. He did have a cleaver mind, and if they went with his plan then they wouldn't have to risk encountering the Batman in what might be a fruitless break in. At least Edward and Ivy wouldn't have to risk it. Still, Ivy wasn't exactly thrilled with the way Edward was taking charge of the situation and assuming she was on board. Edward then leaned forward and looked both Ivy and the Penguin in the eye.

"I need to know I can trust the two of you. I know that might be asking a lot considering that neither of you have reason to trust me. I know I probably shouldn't trust the both of you as much as I'll need to, but fact is if I even have a chance to get home I'm going to need to trust someone. Right now, you two are the only ones I can," Edward said.

The two Rogues of Gotham City weren't used to someone being so honest with them. Though any reason to stab the boy in the back really wasn't there at the moment. Ivy had no reason to betray him yet, and Penguin really wasn't one to do so as it would harm his reputation. Besides, even at his usual ten percent fee he was standing to make a considerable amount of money. It wasn't lucrative to him to simply betray the two.

Ivy however had no such concern. She just really owed the boy. Both nodded their consent. Edward looked the two in the eyes and decided that it wasn't going to get any better then this. "First things first. I want to get everything set up and ready. Penguin, I'll need you to setup the dummy corporation as well as papers establishing my identity. So far I only really exist in Arkham's records. Once we have that taken care of as well as the money from the sale of all that stuff outside we move on to phase two. Ivy, this is where you come in. I won't ask you to do this, and you might end up back in Arkham for a while."

Ivy wasn't so much concerned. It wasn't like she couldn't pull a few months on her head. "This is your show. I just hope my trust isn't misplaced."

Edward smirked, "Good. Then while I'm here setting things up for the garden, Penguin is going to use as much of the money as needed to assemble a legal team for your defense. I want them to get you free and clear of anything that would bring Batman after you. Like I said, you might have to spend some time in Arkham while we work on that. But if everything goes well then you'll be back out and free and clear."

It was a risk, but the reward was defiantly worth it, "So what do you plan to do after that?"

Edward smirked, "If I have to have a public face then I suppose I'll have to come up with a convincing story about who I am. And considering how much we're going to have at our disposal that should put me in a position to at least appear as some sort of philanthropist. With the type of work the company will be doing then I'll need the best botanical scientist in the world to head that up."

A greater compliment the young man couldn't have paid her. "I suppose I could bring myself to work for someone that understands my field of research."

Edward chuckled, "I'm glad to hear that. You'll be able to do whatever you want in the lab after that. Though I do want you at least working on something to simulate what I did out there. I can't exactly go to every toxic waste site in the world and transmute them."

"If I may ask, how do you plan on subverting our local winged adversary. Surely he is on your trail after what I've heard was a spectacular escape," Penguin asked.

"Unlike Ivy I don't have a criminal record. I just have the psychiatrists opinion that I'm delusional. Depending on how you spin that you could say that in my deluded state I saw Ivy as an unjustly imprisoned woman. And since my 'delusions' have me thinking I'm some sort of hero I just had to get her out of there with me," Edward said.

Penguin chuckled as Ivy slightly scowled at Edward, "I can't say I've ever seen you as the damsel in distress my dear. It does have a sort of romantic quality to it, and that would certainly play to your advantage my boy. I suppose you could claim Ivy used one of her more medicinal plant strains to bring you to your senses."

"I hadn't thought of that, but it works," Edward said.

"Well, I see I have a massive amount of work to do. It will be advisable for me to start right away. For now I suggest you two remain hidden until we're ready for the next step in all of this. I'll have Raven and Lark bring some necessities from town to you so you can stay out of sight," Penguin then arose from his seat and proceeded on his way out of the house.

Edward stopped him though when he asked, "Penguin, you don't seem to be questioning me about whether or not I'm actually delusional. The shrinks at Arkham were pretty convinced that I was when I told them I was from another dimension where Alchemy was possible. You think I'm crazy as well?"

Penguin smirked, "My boy, regardless of the money I stand to make helping you in this what I've seen proves to me that you are not a normal man. Even if I hadn't seen the results of your hard work outside, the arm and leg are defiantly not of this world. I'm surprised they didn't see that and immediately give you the benefit of a doubt when they saw that."

"So all the proof you need of my truthfulness was the evidence they just wrote off. I appreciate that," Edward said.

Penguin tipped his hat and left the two on their own. Edward looked over at Ivy and asked, "You alright with this? I know I pretty much assumed you would, but you don't have to go along with this."

"Kid, I don't usually like people making decisions for me. Fact is I can't find any reason not to go along with you on this. You broke me out when you didn't have to so I sort of owe you. Besides, if your plan works out I'll be free and clear of the Batman for a while at least," Ivy said.

"At least until I start trying to break in to Wayne Enterprises trying to find that information so I can get home. If it even exists there," Edward said.

Ivy got up and set her hands on Edward's shoulders. She felt Edward tense at the contact but didn't remove her hands. She started kneading the muscles there softly as she said, "You mean we. You don't know anything about computers so you don't know how to get what you want from them. You'll need me with you if it comes to that. Trust me, girls like to be wanted for their talents as much as for their looks."

Edward couldn't help but relax into her touch. He didn't know how tense he had been the whole time, and the gentle pressure of her fingers forced him to relax. Edward wasn't certain why he was letting his guard down with a known criminal but he couldn't help it. He'd spent so long just going from place to place, trying to find the stone. Trying to get Al back to normal, keep the homunculi from destroying everything. Trying to protect the people and places he cared about.

Fact was after all of that he was just tired. He had gotten dropped into this world just to be locked up as a nut job. He was sick of people trying to keep him from doing what he thought was best, doubting him and his sanity. Even back in Amestris he knew several people thought he was out of his mind. Only two people ever truly believed in him without question. Alphonse and Winry, the two people he wanted to get back to more then everything.

Thoughts of Winry flooded his mind and distracted him from the world around him for a moment. Of all the things he wanted to say but could never bring himself to either due to fear for her safety, or his own stubborn pride. He didn't know what he would say to her if he ever got the chance again, but he knew how he felt.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Ivy wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed herself into his back. Ivy ignored his blush as she asked, "Any reason you are helping me?"

Edward thought about it for a moment, "Everyone deserves a chance at redemption. Even those who have committed the worst sin of all."

The way he said that, the hushed whisper, the unfocused eyes. Perhaps he had seen something, done something himself that in his own world would have landed him in that version of Arkham. She didn't know, but it seemed to run deep in his eyes. Ivy's maternal instincts kicked in and she tightened her embrace. She wasn't going to kid herself about turning over a new leaf. She'd probably end up back at Arkham after having committed some other crime. For now, the best option was to enjoy the ride.

--

Weeks without a sign of Elric of Ivy. They had holed up somewhere and were making it a point to stay out of sight. Batman had called Nightwing in to help search for the duo. They had covered the entire city, trying to locate Elric or Ivy. Batman couldn't help but think that Ivy was manipulating the boy. He didn't like the idea of someone who had his abilities being in the grasp of someone like her.

He still didn't know what to make of the files Arkham had given him. If Elric was delusional Ivy could easily manipulate him for her own purposes. If he wasn't, and was telling the truth then he would be taking everything he knew of this world from books and Poison Ivy's point of view. That would not be beneficial for the boy.

Why help Ivy escape? Why did he stay in Arkham for so long if he could have escaped all along? The simple answer was that he didn't think he could, or that it would matter. His genius was obvious from the records. Ivy could easily turn him.

"Nightwing to Batman, I think I got a sighting," Nightwing said over the com-link

"Where is he?"

"He's making his way with Ivy over towards the Iceberg Lounge. I can't confirm it's him yet, he's got a hood up obscuring his face. But the description of his clothing you gave me from Arkham fits. You want me to grab him?"

"Negative, follow him. I'll meet you there," Batman said. He took out his grappling hook and fired. The whole time wondering what would draw them to the Penguin's.

He meet up with Nightwing on the roof of the Iceberg lounge, Penguin's legitimate front for most of his activities. They saw the red cloaked figure and Poison Ivy walk in the back room, the cloaked figure pulling back the hood to reveal Edward Elric.

"So that's the kid huh?" Nightwing asked.

"Yes."

"If you were trying to get to him first you might be too late."

Batman didn't answer, just listened in on the conversation.

Below them Edward took a look around his surroundings. Ivy seemed relaxed which set him at ease a little bit. Still, Edward couldn't help but feel on guard. Someone was watching them, but he wasn't certain from wear. His instincts never let him down before, so he kept his guard up. Cobblepot's entrance with a briefcase did little to sooth his nerves.

"As requested I have setup the dummy corporation per your specifications. You are now the sole stockholder in Resembool Industries. The funds from the sale of the materials you provided has been transferred directly into an account in it's name. Minus of course my fee. As I thought you have made a very hefty sum. The sale of the Toxic Acres property has been completed and is in the companies name as requested."

Batman and Nightwing were both bewildered by that. No one wanted to be connected to Toxic Acres. No one wanted to even try to touch the property because of the cost of cleanup. Edward looked the documents over, handing them to Ivy as he did. The financial records showed their standing balance of 1.3 billion. He was rather impressed, though not sure how how it compared to the currency of Amestris. He assumed from Ivy's reaction however that that was a considerable amount.

"And the other documents?" Edward asked.

"Yes. I have produced all the necessary papers to prove your identity, citizenship, and psychiatric history. I even made sure to get a diagnosis clearing you of the dementia the cretins at Arkham said you have. I felt that would help in the event that someone tried to get you sent back." Penguin noted. Batman listening in however wondered where they had gotten the item's Penguin had fenced for them. They hadn't been active at all since the escape.

"The legal team is also assembled and ready to begin on Ivy's defense. As predicted the lead did recommend she turn herself in voluntarily. We can arrange for that in a few days. I was told that it could be up to six months to a year before they actually get her out."

Edward nodded and looked over towards Ivy, "You still okay with all this?"

"No turning back now is there. I can hold out," Ivy said. Batman noted she seemed rather at ease with the idea. That didn't fill him with any reassurance though.

"Alright then," Edward continued. "We'll deal with the legal aspects of everything and get you out as soon as possible. Penguin, you and I will have to work pretty hard on a lot of things in the interim. I don't exactly fit in with the rich and famous crowd."

Penguin chuckled, "True, but under my tutelage you will be more then capable of associating with people of higher society. That may come in handy should you achieve your goals in the long term."

Edward grinned, "As long as I don't end being like Bastard General Womanizer I'll be happy."

The group seemed to have a laugh at that. Nightwing couldn't help but quip, "So much for Bruce Wayne being a role model."

Batman just grunt back at him.

"I expect you haven't been resting on your laurels these last few weeks either," Penguin said.

Edward smirked, "I've managed to clear out all the old houses and used the materials to transmute most of the physical structures we'll need. The central green house is completed and all we need is to finished the perimeter wall and stick a sign on the place. Then once we get Ivy taken care off we'll be ready to open the Amestrian Gardens and proceed with phase three."

They both saw Penguin nod at that. Ivy was unusually close to Elric as Penguin packed on the documents into the briefcase and handed it over. Ivy took the briefcase and held it as one of Penguin's hench-girls walked in with three glasses of champaign.

"Far be it from me to be as gauche as to contribute to the delinquency of a minor. A glass of champaign however to toast this achievement seems in order."

Ivy and Elric both took a glass and with Penguin gave a toast, "To getting you on the road home my boy."

That set off alarms in Batman's head. Both the Penguin and Ivy seemed to be indulging Elric's fantasies. Either that believed him, or that they were using him and his delusions to their advantage. Being the cynic he was Batman was betting on the latter.

Edward pulled the hood of his cloak over his head after thanking Penguin for his services. He and Ivy made their way out and Penguin returned to his work. Nightwing and Batman took everything in and Nightwing couldn't help but ask, "Why would he want to own Toxic Acres?"

"More to the point, what does he plan to do with it. The entire area is far too contaminated to be habitable let alone usable."

Both made it a point to go and investigate the area, and left the roof on their grapples. They didn't notice Edward looking up and seeing them pass by the moon.

"_So someone was watching. I hate being right sometimes,"_ Edward thought. He and Ivy headed back home.

--

Batman and pulled in to what used to be known as Toxic Acres far away from where Ivy usually set up shop. The difference from his last visit to the chemical wasteland was more then noticeable. The houses from the development had been completely leveled, not even a trace of the original construction remained. Even the many streets that should have connected streets and houses had been replaced with paths and grassy areas. Batman took several soil samples from around the area for analysis later.

He saw the massive greenhouse at the center of it all. He took out his binoculars and looked inside. If he were Poison Ivy, then the inside of that greenhouse was paradise. Batman was certain she had a hand in it as the entire area had been turned into an impressive landscape. He sighted Elric leaving the greenhouse and walk to the edge of the area he now owned. Needless to say he didn't quite understand when Elric clapped his hands and placed them on the ground. That was until a flash of blue light appeared and a ten foot stone wall sprouted from the ground surrounding the entire area. Fortunately the batmobile was on the other side of the wall.

Elric went to what could only be called the front gate, dragging what looked like a pallet of scrap iron. He did the same thing at the gate, producing a wrought iron gate as well as a sign with the words, "_Amestrian Botanical Gardens"_ on it. Ivy was no where to be seen, and Batman might not get another chance to confront the boy until he was throwing a batarang at him.

Elric wasn't wearing the cloak or the black jacket, and he took the boots he was wearing off before stretching a little. The moonlight glinted off the metal of his automail as he looked around. Ivy had really outdone herself with the garden. He couldn't help but think of the rolling fields of home, or the large yellow house that was home to Winry and Pinako. It was comforting in its own way. He ran himself through several routines, training his body to try to keep other thoughts at bay.

That sense of being watched returned, that uneasy feeling of someone behind him. Edward stopped and closed his eyes as he stood there, calming his breath from his training. He didn't turn around as he ask, "You might as well come out. I don't care very much for people skulking in the shadows."

That impressed Batman, he had to admit. The kid was good. He stepped out and approached the boy but kept his distance. Without the cloak or jacket Elric's metal arm was clearly visible. He saw the boy turn and face him, his face set in what Batman recognized as the same look hardened veterans had after serving years at war. That was something he didn't like either.

"So you are the Batman Ivy has been telling me about. You can call me Fullmetal, nice to meet you. Why are you following me," he said.

So he knew they were watching him at the Iceberg, "You broke yourself and Poison Ivy out of Arkham. That's something that catches my attention."

"You work for the state?" Fullmetal asked.

"I work with the authorities, not for them," Batman said.

All Fullmetal did was nod, "Can't say I liked Arkham. All it was good for was the steady supply of food and enough books to get myself up to speed. Told them the truth and they just automatically declared me crazy. You'd think the arm and leg would have been proof enough."

Batman couldn't fault that logic, "So you decided the help a known criminal escape?"

Edward glared at the Dark Knight, "She maybe a criminal, but she's the only one in Arkham who didn't write me off as nuts when I told her the truth. She even managed to keep my mind off my problems and kept me sane. I owed her, equivalent exchange."

"You shouldn't have been in Arkham in the first place. It's a maximum security criminal institution. No place for a child."

"Maybe, but I could understand their concern. My automail is much stronger then normal limbs. Still, I don't like being treated like my life didn't happen. At least Ivy had the courtesy to give me the benefit of a doubt."

So that's why he broke Ivy out, she had played her hand well. Batman was certain Elric was being used. Especially after the display he had just witnessed. He said as much to the boy.

"She maybe using me for her own purposes. I can't say I'm innocent of that myself. Still, if I'm going to survive in this world long enough to find a way home I need someone I trust. She's earned it to an extent. I know what she's done in the past. It's not the first time I've had to associate with someone wanted by the state for one reason of the other."

"I can help you. Ivy is just using you for her own means," Batman said. He had to try to get Elric to see reason.

"Again, not the first time that's happened. I know your reputation. I completely understand the concept of _'Be thou for the People'_ and I don't disagree with what you do. But I don't know you, and I am not willing to trust you just on your word. All I want is to get home," Elric said.

"And you think Ivy can get you there?"

"No, it's not the sort of thing she would understand. She's a botanist, not a quantum theorist," Edward said. So he wasn't under the impression that she could get him there.

"Then why all of this? You don't actually think you can reform her do you?" Batman asked. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.

"She's responsible for her own choices like everyone else. I'm just giving her a clean slate, what she does with it is on her own head," Edward said.

A very logical point of view Batman assumed. Elric turned and started walking away, saying nothing as he grabbed his boots and returned to the green house. Batman had a lot to think about.

--

Edward sat on his bed contemplating his encounter with the Batman. Pretty much it was everything he had expected. Someone treating him like a child who couldn't comprehend what was going on. That really annoyed him but he wrote it off. Batman had no reason to know he was a genius. He had no reason to think the idiots at the asylum weren't right about him. That didn't mean Edward was happy about it.

He had been trying to relax and that encounter had done nothing for him. Even a hot shower hadn't returned any sort of peace to him. Batman reminded him too much of Izumi for his liking, but without the maternal air. He tossed on a shirt with his boxers and sat on the bed. Everything was going well, of course something like this had to happen.

He didn't notice Ivy enter his bedroom, but he did notice when he felt her pull him into a comforting embrace. He hadn't been lying to Batman earlier, Ivy had helped him maintain his mind during the whole time. He knew he didn't love her, his heart belonged to Winry and no one else. Ivy understood that, didn't bother trying to pursue that course with him. Still, she didn't shy away from sexually teasing him. Overtime it had desensitized him to things like that. Edward understood he was changing biologically, and that imperative in all humans was kicking in.

"Batman showed up while I was outside. Tried to get me to turn on you, or distance myself."

"Not surprising, he has every reason to think the worst of me," Ivy conceded.

Edward let out a mirthless chuckle, "Maybe, but he kept acting like I couldn't tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Just like those bastards at Arkham."

Ivy just rubbed Edwards back some and then wrapped her arms around him in a soft hug. "You remind me of a colleague of mine when I was in college. Brilliant scientist, had all sorts of theories on how plants could be used to restore the earth. He once told me that he would make forests out of deserts. He was a brilliant scientist, and had his heart in the right place. But some things happened and I lost track of him. I heard he got married and there was a fire but nothing else."

"Did you love him?" Edward asked.

"I was young, but I couldn't help but admire him. It was one of those things. I couldn't help but think that he couldn't possibly see me the way I saw him. And then, before I knew it it was too late. Kind of like you and Winry, only you still have a chance when we get you back," Ivy said, in almost a comforting motherly tone to her voice.

"Now will you tell me what's really weighing on you?" Ivy asked.

Edward let out a shuddering sigh, "I feel like I'm losing myself. Everything I've done in the last month has been completely against who I was before I came here. It's all starting to feel like a dream, and all I'll ever see is this nightmare I'm trapped in."

Ivy took that moment to move around and straddled his waist. He could see what little she had decided to wear tonight, some thin nightie that left barely anything to the imagination. If he wasn't feeling like he was he might have been aroused. Ivy wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him in the eyes. She kissed his forehead and said, "You spent six months in Arkham Asylum. You were surrounded by the worst of the worst this city has to offer, myself included, and doctors trying to get you to believe that everything you knew was a lie. You're lucky you didn't completely lose your mind while in there. They really should have tried to adjust more for a kid but they didn't. I know they tried to convince you your brother was just a figment of your imagination," Ivy said. Edward nodded at that, reminded of the damage Barry the Chopper had done to Al by trying to imply he never really existed.

"You just need to reaffirm who you really are. You are Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist, the Hero of the People of Amestris. You have people waiting for you to come home with open arms and nothing is ever going to change that. We are going to get you home," Ivy said.

Edward could only smile at that, "So Dr. Isley, what do you think I should do about this feeling at the present?"

Ivy smiled seductively and pulled Edward into a deep passionate kiss. She held it for as long as she could, allowing him a chance to enjoy every moment of it. Edward had over time begun enjoying this, returning the kiss as passionately and softly as Ivy gave. She pulled back enough to see Edward's golden eyes. Everything about him was other worldly, especially those eyes of his. "I may not be a medical doctor, but my prescription for you is spending the next three days in the company of a beautiful woman. No working, no straining, and spending every moment you can relaxed and learning about the pleasures women offer aside from the intellectual. Trust me, Winry will appreciate the experience later."

She silenced anything he may have said in objection with another kiss and pressed him into the bed. They spent the night like that. Ivy enjoying every moment she could showing Edward the mysteries of women, and Edward committing this night to memory. They spent the next three days barely clothed, enjoying what they could even in the comforting green of the gardens.

To Be Continued

Author's Notes: Extra Points for whoever can identify the young scientist Ivy is talking about.

Pre-read by Ryan Slicer. Spell check by


	2. Scarlet Clad Avenger

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Chapter 2: Scarlet Clad Avenger

A Fullmetal Alchemist/Batman Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

Disclaimer: If I didn't mention it before, I don't own anything here save a nice imagination.

It was cold and she was surrounded. There was no escape, not that she would have been able to fight through the large group of men that had surrounded her. Amanda Connery was terrified beyond reason as the gang started grabbing at her, tearing at her clothes, looking at her like a piece of meat. She tried to fight back but they over powered her. There was no escape as the knife was held to her.

The sudden cry of pain from one of her attackers was a shock to everyone. Behind the group at the entrance of the alley way was a small figure cloaked in red. None of them could make out his face as the hood of the cloak was raised. He was tossing a stone up and down in his right hand. The thing that disturbed everyone in the alley was the clinking that the stone kept making as it fell into his hand, his metal hand.

"A bunch of grown men picking on a little girl, how pathetic," the figure said. When the thugs pulled their guns on him he snapped the metal fingers. None of the thugs could still hold on to their guns as intense fire melted the barrels closed.

"I don't usually like stealing someone else's tricks, but that is a rather effective skill," The figure said, before charging the thugs. He jumped and kicked the closest thug in the head with his left leg, knocking him out. The figure struck quickly, leveling the thugs with almost deadly accuracy. When he was finished he tossed them all in a pile and clapped his hands. Amanda was shocked to see bars shoot up from the ground and encase her attackers in a cage of concrete. As a finishing touch he clapped again and set his hands on the ground just to the side. A sign popped up out of the ground that said "_Rapists – Free to a Bad Home."_

"Thank you," Amanda stuttered as the scarlet clad figure turned and walked away. She couldn't help the question from tearing itself from her lips, "Who are you?"

The figure stopped, and it's hooded gaze turning over it's shoulder at her, "The Fullmetal Alchemist."

--

"You've had a full night I see," Penguin said as Edward entered the back room of the Iceberg Lounge. He was just reading a newspaper as Edward took a seat next to him. The younger man clapped his hands and held them against his hood. The fabric of the hood seemed to relax some and fell a bit. He pulled the hood back and revealed his blond hair and golden eyes to all around him.

"I can't stand idiots ganging up on a defenseless woman," Edward groused.

"Defiantly not my preference either. Though I trust you are taking steps to conceal yourself?" Penguin asked.

"Transmuting the fabric of my cloak to something much stiffer so it doesn't fall away accidentally is real easy. I just can't stand by and let morons like that go," Edward said.

"It would go against your nature, this is true. Keep this up and you'll have your own Rouge's Gallery before you know it," Penguin said.

Edward chuckled, "I hope not, don't want to leave extra work for anyone when I finally get out of here."

Penguin chuckled at Edward's veiled reference to Batman. Since Ivy had turned herself in and the lawyers got involved Edward found himself at a loss of what to do. Ivy's prodding of him to reaffirm the person he was drove him to go out into the night. He didn't take these late night strolls to the extent Batman and his group did, but if he saw something he acted on it. He had also made it clear that he had no intention of abusing his working relationship with the Penguin. He wasn't going to be in Gotham forever, and using Penguin's connections like he owned the older man would leave him in the wind when the time came. Best not to get involved in anything related to the big underworld names of Gotham.

Though it was clear that while Batman tried to deal with all the crime in Gotham, he really did just focus on the big names. A lot of people got hurt and there was no one who stopped it. So Edward stepped up to the plate as well. It was a part of him, so ingrained in his being that he couldn't cut that part of him out anymore then he could cut off his remaining arm and leg. _Be Thou For The People_, the alchemists code, defined his very existence.

"Well, even if you avoid collecting your own menagerie of miscreants as Batman has you've already made a name for yourself in the local paper. _The Fullmetal Alchemist_ is quickly eating up the headlines of Gotham City. I'd be careful you don't end up having people coming after you because of that," Penguin said.

"Good point. I defiantly do not need every two bit criminal who thinks he's the next Joker gunning for me," Edward conceded.

"But really who could compare to my indomitable sense of humor little wind-up toy," a jovial voice cried out from the shadows. Edward bit back a curse as the Joker and his Hench-Girl Harley Quinn walked in.

"Seems someone here has been trying to suck up to the Bat-fink while he's been out." Joker said.

"Just being who I am, clowny. Nice to see you too Harl," Edward said.

"EDDIE!" Harley screamed in greeting and waved at him. Edward offered up a wave and a smirk at the hyperactive woman.

"At least you've got more of a sense of humor then Batsy. Though I have to wonder what would really put a smile on your face," Joker said.

"Unless you know of a way for me to cross dimensions to the exact one I call home I doubt very much you'll be able to," Edward answered honestly.

Joker slide up to Edward's side and threw an arm around him, "Why so glum? After all, you should probably relax. Take a load off... have a laugh."

Joker then pointed his flower at Edwards face and sprayed him with a cloud of his Joker gas. Edward coughed and attempted to avoid breathing any in but it was too late. The gas started taking affect instantly, leading him from slight chuckles to manic laughter that seemed unending. Joker laughed like crazy.

"JOKER! I have told you before NOT to gas my clientèle!" Penguin shouted, angered at Joker's actions against the young man.

"Oh come on Pengy, he needed a good laugh!" Joker said in his own defense.

"Then tell a joke or whatever, I don't appreciate you risking my business like this!"

"Oh relax, I've got something for you that you'll just love. Harley!"

Harley bounced up and set her case down on the table. From within she pulled out a diamond encrusted fabracie egg. She backed away as Joker smiled, "So what you think?"

"I will examine it later. Right now I have to find a way to take care of the boy you've just incapacitated!"

"Whenever you can, toddles!" Joker said and slipped out.

Harley was about to follow but stopped, pulled an envelope out of her satchel and walked back to Edward as he rolled on the floor. "Here, Ivy wanted me to give this to ya! See you round Eddie!" and then bounced out the door.

"Damnable clown, more trouble then the bobbles he brings in are worth. Now to get you some help before you go mad." Penguin said and screamed for Raven and Lark.

Edward tried to get words out past the laughter, "I'm... hehe... gonna... haha... transmute... his suit... hehehehe... into a... business suit... hahahahaha," Edward got out while the gases madness took over. His logical mind was trying desperately to figure out something to stop this but it was slowly losing to the haze of the drug.

"Don't strain yourself. I'll get you some help as fast as I can," Penguin said. Edward didn't notice Raven or Lark pick him up by either arm and guide him up the back way to Penguin's penthouse. Penguin paced back and forth as he tried to figure out what to do for his best customer. Damn that Joker. He just endangered Penguin's current best client.

"Just when I need that flying rodent to show up, he's no where to be found," Penguin grumbled.

"Well I'm not the big guy, but will a Bat-Girl do?" a feminine voice rang out.

Penguin's eyes shot up and saw the cowled visage of the Batgirl walking in the door Joker had just left through.

"If you have something to counteract Joker's gas then yes," Penguin said, his voice laced with barely restrained rage.

"When the Joker is out of Arkham? We're all packing just in case. You're just lucky the big guy has had us all taking shifts watching the kid," Batgirl said.

"I suppose that you'll want the trinket Joker dropped off as well. Go ahead and take it. If your here then Batman probably already knows where Joker is. I'm making more money off legally working with young Mr. Elric then I could make in commission on that."

"How civic minded of you," Batgirl quipped and followed Penguin to his penthouse. When they got there Edward was still laughing like a madman. He was screaming out random chemical names as his brain tried to analyze the gases make up. He couldn't even bring his hands together to try to transmute the antidote. He was so far gone that he didn't notice the injector gun pressed against his left arm, or the hiss of the injection. He simply fell into a peaceful slumber.

--

It was the next night before Edward woke up. His mouth was dry from the gas, but fortunately a glass of water was waiting for him, as well as what appeared to be two aspirin. He quickly took the aspirin and downed half the glass almost immediately. He fell back into the soft bed and finally took a moment to look around. He knew he wasn't at the greenhouse, the last thing he could remember clearly was the Joker and his damned flower.

"I am going to transmute him into the most boring thing in the world," Edward growled.

"Joker is extremely dangerous. You're better off staying away from him at all costs," a deep voice said. Edward looked to the direction of the balcony and saw the Batman standing there, his cape drifting with the breeze.

"I have never encountered a chemical like that. I couldn't even get it together enough to analyze, let alone transmute a counter agent to it," Edward said.

"Joker is insane, but also a genius in every sense of the term. He's back in Arkham, where he belongs."

Edward sighed and leaned back, "And I thought Kimbley was psychotic."

"With the Joker, expect the unexpected."

"My whole life is the unexpected, what's one more crazed lunatic?"

Batman simply stood there for a moment, "You should try to get on with your life, move on."

"I will not give up. There has to be a way to get home," Edward said, looking down for a moment. When he looked back up Batman had simply disappeared.

"I need to learn that trick."

--

Edward had dragged himself out of bed, and found himself sharing breakfast, or dinner he wasn't entirely sure, with Penguin. After a large glass of orange juice and even more water he was starting to feel moderately better. The gas and the antitoxin had done a number on his system. Penguin spoke, "I got an update from Ivy's legal team."

At least there was a bit of good news to be had today, "What they say?"

"They have been able to secure Ivy's parole, with the stipulation the she remain in Gotham for the next three years. If things continue as they are then she should be released by the end of the week."

Edward smiled slightly, "That's very good to hear."

Penguin chuckled, "I figured that would lift your spirits some. It seems that we are fortunate in that there have been no major setbacks in this plan of yours."

Edward nodded, last night didn't really count as a setback. "So we plan on the grand opening of the garden in a few weeks."

Penguin nodded at this, "Once Ivy is out we can start heavily on your public facade. You would do well to develop the kind of person you want the world to see as a man you could live as for an extended period. I don't want to insinuate that you will not find a way back to your home from here, but it is always best to have a contingency plan."

"Batman said the same thing, that I should just try to move on. I just can't though, not until I find out what happened to Al," Edward said. Penguin recognized the single-minded obsession, the need to accomplish what he started.

"Single-minded dedication to your cause, regardless of the consequences to yourself. Seems a trait everyone in Gotham of our ilk shares. Still, your cause may be more impossible then others. Not that that's stopped the likes of Batman," Penguin said.

"I haven't even started trying, no reason to consider anything impossible until I've actually failed a few times," Edward said.

"Too true my boy. And frankly what you are attempting to do is beyond my understanding. But then again so are many things in the scientific realm. I am simply a business man, and quite happy with my place in the world," Penguin replied honestly.

Edward smirked, "I suppose we can't all be evil geniuses then can we?"

Penguin returned he smirk as he read the newspaper, "Even the evil geniuses need someone who can get them cash for their ill gotten gains."

"Can't argue with that logic. I suppose no matter what you do you always need someone to take care of things you can't do yourself," Edward said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice as he pulled his right arm out and looked it over. He remembered all the things he couldn't do, all the failures. So many yet so much good he had done. And the things he couldn't do, like fashion this arm and the leg. He needed Winry for that. He needed Al for his insight and innocence. He even needed the Bastard General for his experience.

"We're only human, by ourselves we can only do so much," he said, his voice quiet as he thought back.

"That we can my boy, that we can. And speaking of the things we can do I must get on with the business of running a nightclub. Raven and Lark will be around should you need anything and I took the liberty of acquiring you some fresh clothes. Also, before the clowns left last night Harley left something for you from Ivy," Penguin said and slide the envelope towards Edward. He smiled as the boy took it and left the boy to his reminiscing.

Edward opened the envelope and looked at the perfect script writing. He could even smell a hint of perfume on the pages as he read.

"_Hey Fullmetal,_

_I see you took my advice about reaffirming who you are. A lot of folk in here are going on about how they knew you when. Those of us who are in the loop anyways. Don't worry, I haven't mentioned anything to them myself. A girl has to have her secrets after all. I think the girls would be jealous to know that I'm your femme fatale of choice. Personally I think I've got a game for us to play. Catch the criminal, oh what will I do when you have me cornered. I've been such a bad girl..."_

The letter continued on in that vein, and Edward couldn't help but draw some form of hope from Ivy's words. He'd find a way home, back to the people he cared about. But he could already tell that regardless he'd be leaving a piece of himself here in Gotham City. He was just the type to always leave his mark.

–

It was the next day, and Edward had taken Penguin up on his hospitality. He had to admit that the older gentleman had a talent for comfort. The wardrobe that had been provided was defiantly tailored for Edward's frame. Aside from his own transmuted clothing he didn't feel like he was wearing anything too small or way too big. He had to admit he looked decent on the white button up shirt and black slacks.

Penguin had taken the liberty of arranging for an entire wardrobe of similar clothes as well as formal wear for any settings he may have to attend for this persona he was building up to the greenhouse. The old bird certainly was thorough with his work. That wasn't the only reason though to stick around the Iceberg if he didn't have anywhere else to go. The greenhouse was just too quiet, to big and ominous when he was on his own.

He wasn't good at being alone, he knew that. He always had someone he could at least talk to, whether it be Al, Winry, Mustang, Hawkeye, anyone. He was never alone in any of his memories of the past. Not for very long at least. Granted, his new chosen companions were of questionable character. That never mattered to Edward before. He judged people based on what he saw, not just on what he heard about them.

So far he had a decent opinion of the two Rouges who had ostensibly taken him under their wings. Though if he saw the Joker again he wouldn't be held responsible for his actions. That clown defiantly had it coming. Harley he'd tolerate for Ivy's sake.

He had to admit, while defiantly not something that would grow into one of those classic romances and professions of undying love his relationship with the older woman was certainly... exciting. He wondered how Winry would react to knowing the extent of that relationship. Then he flinched instinctively as he imagined the multiple wrenches to the head he would receive. Still, she would be the one to benefit from those experiences once he got back.

Edward kept thinking about what he would do when he got home as he turned on the Evening news. One thing he planned on was taking as much information back with him as he could. He looked at his automail, and felt that he might be able to leave something in this world in exchange as well. Something that would change and improve thousands of lives here as it did in his world. He'd have to find someone here to give that secret to.

He was marveling at the possible science behind the tube in front of him when something caused him to stop. He was held captive as the image of someone he knew in his world popped up on the screen. It wasn't a pleasant recognition either. He turned up the volume and paid close attention to the anchor.

"Once again, an Amber Alert has been issued for the Greater Gotham area for Nina Tucker. Her father, Shane Tucker, was convicted of second degree murder in the death of his wife almost two years ago. Tucker recently escaped Arkham Asylum and is believed to have kidnapped his daughter and killed the foster family she had been living with. If you have any information, please contact authorities at..."

Edward had stopped listening and was quickly pulling on his other work clothes as he ran down to talk to Penguin. He was breaking his own arrangement with Penguin relating to information, but this wasn't related to the man's clients.

Edward was determined not to let history repeat itself.

--

It had taken most of the night to track him down. Penguin had been more then willing to relay information to him when Edward had explained the situation. And Edward had made good use of all the information Penguin gave him. He checked every place that Tucker had used before his capture. Penguin called him on a cell phone with more information as he progressed through the night.

He finally caught a real lead from someone who had seen a kid fitting Nina's description with a dog entering a warehouse on the outskirts of town. Edward barely restrained the shiver down his spine as he ran hard towards the warehouse. He used every trick he knew to speed him towards his destination. Even took to jumping from car to car to get to where he needed to be.

He didn't bother to hide his entrance into the warehouse. He just transmuted himself a door inside and went through. For the most part the warehouse seemed deserted. That worried Ed, he couldn't waste time on an empty warehouse while this Nina's life was endanger. He hoped he wasn't too late. He had pieced the puzzle together too slowly last time.

A grunt to his left drew his attention. When he looked he saw the realization of one of his oldest nightmares. The lumbering beast walked strait up to him and nudged his hand. He was happy he had stiffened his cloak, so that the creature before him that had been Nina Tucker couldn't see the horror in his eyes.

"Play with me. Play with me," its disjointed hollow voice said. Edward fell to one knee and ran his left hand along her head.

"I'll play with you. I'll take you someplace where you can play all the time. A place where magic flowers grow," Edward said, his voice kept low and calm. It took all his will power to keep himself from breaking down on the spot.

"Such a magnificent achievement isn't it. The melding of two distinctly different creatures into one. Such a masterpiece of work," a voice said in the darkness. Edward recognized it all to well. It had been the same tone when Shou Tucker revealed the result of his atrocity. It was no different, and no less disgusting coming from Shane Tucker.

"You did this to your own daughter, your own flesh and blood," Edward said, standing up and walking toward the monster before him. For a moment his mind flashed the creature Shou Tucker had made himself in place of Shane.

"All advancements require sacrifice. We wouldn't know anything if we never experimented on humans," Shane said.

"Save it, I've heard that before. Someone trying to justify such an atrocity by cloaking it in the veil of progress. Scientists like you don't advance anything, you just destroy. Science that doesn't benefit people is no science at all," Edward said, each step filling him with rage and righteous indignation. His left hand struck out and grabbed Tucker by the collar. If Edward wasn't blinded by his hatred for the man he may have noticed the sickening symmetry of the situation.

He didn't see any of that, just the target of years of rage welling back in him. He struck hard and fast, punching Shane Tucker hard with his metal fist, his left holding him tightly by his collar. He continued pummeling him, not stopping, not slowing.

"Brother stop!"

Edward couldn't believe his ears and looked over his shoulder, and saw the ethereal shade of his brother standing there. He could barely stand the pain of seeing that hulking suit of armor look at him as it said, "If you don't stop your going to kill him," and then it was gone.

Edward's breathing was ragged and he turned his head back at the beaten face of Shane Tucker, blood dripping from his lips. Edward let go of Tucker's collar and let the madman fall to the ground. He barely noticed Batman, Robin, and Batgirl run in as he walked towards Nina.

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere safe now."

The rain started coming down hard as he left the warehouse with the playful creature by his side.

--

Why? Why did this have to happen again to such an innocent child. Edward never believed in God, or pre-destination, or fate. What god would allow such a thing to happen to a child? What could fate or destiny feel she had done to deserve what had happened to her. Edward kept asking himself these questions as he watched Nina lumber about the peaceful scenery of the greenhouse. He had blamed himself for Nina's fate in his world, and couldn't stop the guilt building up for his failure to this worlds Nina.

"You nearly beat Tucker to death. I should take you in for it," Batman said from behind him. Edward to his credit didn't seem startled or turn to face him.

"I nearly killed him. When I finally figured it out it was too late to save her. He had already turned that sweet girl that called me little big brother into a chimera. All she ever wanted from us was to play, and for me to make her magic flowers," Edward said.

"Your not talking about Nina Tucker now are you?" Batman asked.

Edward couldn't hold back the mirthless chuckle, "That's the sickening thing about this. I am talking about her. I was twelve when Shou Tucker did this to her. The only thing that stopped me from beating his head in with this steel fist was Alphonse bringing me back to my senses. It was just too perfect, too close to the last time my head actually replayed what Alphonse said that day. And just like that day the only thing that kept me from killing him was my brother's voice of reason. We swore to each other that we would ever let something like this happen to another little girl."

Batman walked up to Edward, both men watching the beast romp in a bed of flowers, "I've undone things like this before. A scientist managed to change his DNA into something half man and half bat. I was able to counter act the mutagen then."

Edward shook his head, "Did you see his lab?"

"I did."

"Then you know what I know. That this isn't a forced mutation. That little girl didn't have her body changed. She had it fused with her faithful dog. She's a chimera, and the components of a chimera are forever inextricable," Edward said.

Silence reigned between the two men for a moment, "You aren't responsible for this. If you think you deserve the blame for this, you are wrong. That rests with Tucker."

"You don't believe that anymore then I do. We should have been faster. The only reason I found them at all was luck. At least I can give this little girl a place to be safe from now on. I couldn't do that for her. Still, Nina's face will haunt me for he rest of my life. Both of their faces will," Edward said.

Edward walked away from Batman, "I'm going to bed. I have to pick Ivy up from Arkham tomorrow. You can show yourself out."

Batman watched the younger man walk off deeper into the greenhouse. He knew what the boy was feeling. He was feeling it himself. Before he left he went and knelt down next to what used to be Nina Tucker and ran his hand over her head. She leaned into the Dark Knights hand and let out what sounded like a purr.

--

The next day was full of press and fanfare as Arkham released Dr. Pamela Isley from their halls. This was also Gotham City's first look at a young man who approached the woman known to most as Poison Ivy and pulled her into a soft embrace. This was in and of itself a shock for the press as they badgered the pair for a statement.

Edward took this opportunity to introduce himself to the world. Hopefully Penguin's lessons in diplomacy would pay off. "Ladies and Gentlemen, a press release will be forth coming describing my companies relationship with Dr. Isley as well as her future position as Head of Research and Development. Thanks to her work in the botanical sciences the first test run of a new procedure towards toxic clean up has been completed. We have successfully cleaned up and reclaimed the area commonly known to Gotham as Toxic Acres. The credit for such and achievement lies with her."

Ivy kept her face impassive as she stood next to Edward. This was one of the harder parts of the plan for him, she knew that. She gave his left hand an encouraging squeeze as he pressed on. Ivy could see the potential in the young man next to her start to grow and be used. And she was proud of her part in bringing it forward.

Beyond the crowd the pair was watched closely. Bruce Wayne had come to watch as well along with Alfred and Tim. He couldn't help the suspicion from running through him about what Ivy was really up to. They had gone down this road with Joker before. A niggling part in his head said that Ivy was no where near as unstable as the clown.

"They appear to be pleased with themselves," Alfred said.

Tim chuckled, "I told you, he's got the hots for her."

Bruce kept himself out of the idle chatter. They would be able to gather more intelligence later. Still, the display of affection towards Ivy did nothing for Wayne's peace of mind.

–

Nina roamed her little part of the greenhouse in blissful ignorance of the world around her. Ivy had taken the news of what had happened to the poor four year old as well as she could. Her instincts told her it was worse for Edward, and said nothing in disagreement with his taking on care for the poor thing. If anything Ivy wished she had been there with him. She wouldn't have had any ghosts haunting her about killing the monster that did this.

She had spent that night in his arms, not only enjoying the new freedom he had worked to grant her but comforting him as well. Ivy even had taken the time to play with Nina and get to know her habits. The corruption of the body was complete, but Ivy found that if she did something to make flowers grow almost instantly she could make the chimera happy. Edward always told Nina they were magic flowers. Ivy didn't have the heart to contradict him on that.

A lot of things had occurred in the three weeks since her release. Penguin in his capacity as the trio's administrative organizer had handled everything with the press. Resembool Industries was now well known on the business pages, as well as the gossip columns. Edward's relative obscurity combined with her infamy lead many to make up wild assumptions about their relationship. She didn't care much about the society pages anyways.

They had arranged the Grand Opening of the public parts of the Garden to lead into a benefit for environmental conservation. Many of Gotham's more elite socialites had been invited, with free admission for the public as well. Ivy was already working on what would be their cash crop as well as several plant strains that would simply need FDA approval. She had to admit that while not her usual modus operandi it did have the benefit of not getting her locked up. She even tweaked her vines some what to be used in countries that were suffering famine.

Penguin had sent Raven and Lark with some rather nice evening wear for her and a tux for Edward. She had to admit the bird had a talent for organizing such events. Ivy actually looked forward to the night. It would be fun in one way or the other, she'd get to spend some time introducing Edward to some of her peers. They also had confirmed Bruce Wayne and his current ward Tim Drake. That would allow Edward a chance to gather information. Barring that at least make a connection that could hopefully be useful toward getting him home.

The red satin dress she wore hugged her curves well. The dress itself was backless and offered a tantalizing view of her assets to any who looked. She defiantly would get the young mans attention. It was kind of ironic to her that Edward's favorite color was red, and Penguin had ensured she would look stunning. Edward wouldn't know what hit him, and Ivy defiantly intended to make the night end on a good note for both of them. It would be a shame not to get as much time with the boy as she could.

Edward joined her in the atrium, and his reaction was everything Ivy expected. He offered her his left arm, which she graciously accepted. He leaned in and whispered, "You look amazing tonight." Ivy smiled at him in gratitude for the compliment. She gave him a light kiss on his cheek and lead him out to the public herself.

They made the rounds, Edward made a public statement and a short speech. Penguin had done an excellent job coaching the younger man in the finer points of public appearance. He had been a rather rough and rash youth when she had met him. The change from when he first ended up in Arkham and now was striking. In time he would defiantly grow into his own. Penguin said as much as he stood next to Ivy. Her response was, "He was born for this."

She truly felt he was born for this kind of work. His trials and tribulations had tempered him into someone who could recognize things most would not see. He still had growing to do, this was a given. Poison Ivy fully intended to push him to achieve everything he could. When she slid her arm around his after he stepped down from the podium she could feel him relax. He wasn't used to public speaking. That anxiety would lessen in time.

They walked around the room, Ivy and Penguin making introductions and Edward putting his new persona to work. This was a test for Edward. A test of him in a setting where quick work and martial combat gave way to quick whit and diplomacy. It was a challenge for him as a person. If there was one thing Edward always lived for it was to be challenged.

"_If anything when I get back to Amestris I'll be able to survive even the most tedious of Military Balls," _Edward thought.

Bruce Wayne watched the pair closely most of the night. He made polite conversation with many people there, including Commissioner Gordon. Barbara had accompanied her father that night, however all four were keeping an eye on Poison Ivy. Granted, the young man she was guiding around referred to her as Dr. Isley or Pamela, but to everyone who really knew the woman that was just a facade.

The pair finally made their way over to Wayne's little group. Introductions were made quickly, considering that Dr. Isley had on many occasions either been guests of their institutions, or a target of her actions. Edward played the blissfully ignorant. He made to engage Bruce in polite conversation, asking general questions and pretty much attempting not to offend the older man before him. There was something about Wayne though that set Edward on edge. He'd look into it later.

"So how did you manage all of this? I once ran the numbers on cleaning up this area, it was more then the entire R&D budget for Wayne Enterprises for a whole year," Wayne asked.

Now for the cover story, "I read about Dr. Isley's plant strains and the way they seemed to just rapidly grow. I started writing her and shared some concept ideas. It's complex chemistry to be certain but we eventually came up with something."

Bruce didn't give any indication that he didn't by it, "I will say it's extremely impressive. I hope you don't mind if I have some soil samples taken. Something like this I want to see confirmed by someone else before I invest in it."

"So I take it you're interested in helping us perfect the process in order to clean up more of the planet," Edward said. He couldn't help but smirk. A investment from Wayne would defiantly be a good step in getting the information he wanted.

"That and other things. You did mention trying to increase the worlds food stores while reducing the amount of farmland needed. Things like that get my interest," Bruce said.

"Yes, of course. Take as many from any part of the premise you like," Edward offered. He knew he was being a little giving. He also knew full well that this would be his first step towards getting Wayne's Quantum data if he had any. Still, there was something about Wayne that was throwing him. The way he moved, spoke, and the comparison between him and the kid. There was also the way he mentioned their activities catching his interest. Yes, Edward Elric would have to find out a lot more of Mr. Wayne.

"Most people wouldn't take a chance on a convicted felon. You must be very forgiving," Bruce said.

Edward expected something like that from a few people, "Everyone deserves a real chance at redemption. Arkham doesn't provide that, considering how many times the inmates there have escaped only to be dragged back by someone like the Batman. If the intent was to actually rehabilitate the inmates they'd do more then simple therapy or drug treatments."

Bruce had a feeling there was still some left over resentment from Elric's own stay, "They do what they can. You can't reform someone who doesn't want it."

Edward nodded, but that statement sounded way too close to something else he had heard. Instead of pushing his suspicions Edward turned the conversation towards science. He asked about anything that Wayne Enterprises might be interested in concerning what they were working on. He even mentioned his own interest in advancing quantum theory into more practical applications. Wayne mentioned a few things R&D was working on, but everything was theoretical.

Edward got the feeling he was being baited from the way Wayne answered. Wayne got the feeling that he wasn't fooling the younger man. It was a war of wills, one neither man had the advantage in. In the end it was at most a draw, Wayne pledging to help invest in the work Elric was pushing and Elric offering to keep the older man up to speed on all future ventures. Neither would consider the conversation a wash, it just didn't have a definitive victor.

At the end of the night Bruce and Tim met up with Alfred and returned to the Manor. Once the trio were in the car they started comparing notes. The plan was to meet up with Barbara and see if they could get an idea of what the pair were actually planning. Once securely in the cave everyone said their peace on the subject.

"He defiantly knew I was leading him. Elric's much more observant and intelligent then I gave him credit for. Still, with the investment in that company towards their research we'll have access to most of their records. He won't be able to really do anything of a business nature with out me finding out," Bruce said.

"Well I wasn't certain I agreed with Tim before. If she's using him she's pulling out all the stops. I don't think she's using any of her mind control plants on him. Considering how old he is she might not need to. And the way she hung off him all night, uhh. That girl has no decency. And that dress? I swear," Barbara chimed in.

"The doctors at Arkham classified him as a genius intellectually. He also seems to be extremely observant and from what we've seen in the last few months I doubt he'd fail to notice her manipulating him without some form of mind control," Bruce said.

"What if she's not? I mean, seriously what if she's doing nothing and everything we've been agonizing over is all him?" Tim asked. It was the one thing they hadn't really considered. What if, for some reason that made no sense to anyone in that cave, everything was exactly as it appeared.

"That be a first. Someone not hiding anything at all and really just being completely truthful," Barbara joined in.

Bruce however had a different thought, "Or maybe what he wants is going to take expertise he just doesn't have. Remember Arkham's report. They said he was delusional and that he believed he was from another universe. If he actually believes that, or in the unlikely possibility actually was telling the truth to the doctors, then he may be hoping that he can use Wayne Enterprises R&D to get back to that universe."

"That is plausible, Master Bruce. He wouldn't exactly be able to just come out and say something like that now would he," Alfred said.

"And he kept asking about anything we might be doing involving Quantum physics and practical applications there of. I'm betting he's going to try to figure out how to cross dimensions."

"Are you actually saying you believe him over the doctors at Arkham?" Tim asked.

"Regardless of who is right in that case, he's still going to try to find a way to this other world," Bruce answered. No one could really argue against his logic.

Barbara however asked, "What about Ivy?"

"He's setting it up where Ivy can do something about the plants she covets without her having to resort to criminal means. If he wants to give her a chance, then he's going to be disappointed when she betrays him," Bruce said.

Alfred however couldn't help but add, "But then again, she might surprise us. After all, Dr. Isley turning over the proverbial new leaf would be rather unexpected."

Bruce smirked, "And in Gotham city, expect the unexpected."

--

The party was long over, the final guests including Oswald has departed, and Edward and Ivy started their own celebration. Ivy was just undoing Edward's shirt as his hands were roaming her back, their lips locked in an almost unbreakable kiss. Edward found the hook holding Ivy's closed and undid it, letting the red satin fall easily from her form. His lips began sliding down caressing the soft skin of her neck. He couldn't help the hunger for the woman in his arms from taking over all his senses.

Ivy was in much the same state of mind. Her fingers making quick work of Edward's shirt and pulling it off of him. Her right hand slid behind her neck to hold him tightly against her as her left hand run up his right side. A pleasure filled groan tore from her lips as Edward slowly kissed and nibbled his way along her collar bone. She pulled his head back and crushed his lips with her own, both of them trying to devour the other.

The dress fell from Ivy's hips and bunched up on the ground as she and Edward moved slowly towards the bed. It took only a little bit of effort for them to divest themselves of their remaining clothes, only separating from each other enough to get an offending piece of clothing out of the way. When the back of Ivy's knees hit the bed both lovers fell into it's soft embrace.

The night was filled with the sounds of passion and desire for hours that night. When they finally rested, their bodies covered in a sheen of sweat and filled with warmth, Ivy settled herself against Edward's left side. She didn't have a problem with Edward's metal limbs. She just wanted him to be able to actually feel her as he held her close. They held each other tightly, and even though Ivy knew that one day he would be gone forever she gave everything she could to him.

Ivy just smiled as she watched Edward's face, committing the contented appearance to her memory. She couldn't help but smile as she pointed out, "We've known each other almost a year now."

Edward smiled, "Yeah, we have haven't we. I can't believe it's already been that long. My birthday is coming up soon."

Ivy smiled, "So you'll be nice and of age in a few months time. We won't be able to get you drunk but we can have fun all the same."

Edward smiled at the idea, "I've changed so much in a year."

"Yes you have. You've gone from depressed and isolated resident at an insane asylum to millionaire business man. By day you save the world with science and oratory, by night as a scarlet clad avenger rescuing the people from the darkness. I can't say I ever saw myself as being able to enjoy the company of a hero. But in your case I'll make an exception," Ivy said, winking at him.

Edward chuckled and tightened his hold on her. Ivy could see his eyes drift into that far away nostalgic place she had seen him go to before. She had seen him slip to that place in Arkham, outside in the garden when the moon was just right, even when he came back after saving some helpless person from who knows what.

"What do you think everyone back home would say if they could see you know?" she asked.

Edward smiled, "General Mustang would probably wonder how that short pip-squeak who couldn't even hold his temper in at the implication of being called short was able to handle himself like tonight. Havoc would take one look at you and beat himself over me being with a beautiful woman while he lost another girlfriend to Mustang. Breda, Falman, Fuery, and Hawkeye would probably be surprised and proud. Major Armstrong would go on about how whatever I was doing involved some tradition passed down the Armstrong line for generations," Edward said, a real smile on his face.

"Alphonse would spend his time amazed by all the plants and flowers. He'd run through the garden and smile at the work we've done here and be amazed. He always was amazed by things like that. We both studied alchemy the same way. I always said he was the better technical alchemist of the two of us but he would still say I was a genius.

"And Winry..."

Edward's voice failed him as he thought of Winry Rockbell. Ivy picked up on his hesitance and said, "And Winry would have been the beautiful woman on your arm all night as you hobnobbed with the socialites and business men."

Edward could only nod. Ivy slide her hand along his cheek and turned his eyes to meet hers. She had a soft smile on her lips as she looked at him. Edward looked Ivy right in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry. I just feel guilty I can't give you all of my heart and here we are. I almost feel like I'm just using you, like I'm betraying both of you."

"You aren't. I know where your heart lies, where it has since the day I first met you. You haven't betrayed me at all, Edward. If anything you've given me more then any man I've ever known. I'm a criminal, have been for a long time. I take what I want and I feel no regrets for it. But you have done nothing since I've met you but give. You gave me my freedom, you gave me a peer who understood my views on plant life. You've even given me this wonderful place to call home.

"I'll admit, if you're willing to give this much to someone who has no right to expect even a glance from you then I am jealous of that girl. Because if your willing to do this for me, when you don't love me with all your heart then that girl better appreciate everything you'd be willing to do for her. Cause if she isn't I am going to come across whatever dimensional barriers I have to and teach her a lesson. We'll see if her wrench of justice is any match for my vines," Ivy said, the last part she couldn't help but smirk as Edward chuckled.

"You're like an old plant. Over time your roots have grown and settled in deep into the soil of your own world. When a plant gets like that, even with utmost care you could still damage the roots if you tried to move it. The plant might even slowly die once replanted no matter how careful you are. There wasn't any care taken with you. You were torn from the ground and thrown into the soil of this universe without even being set in the soil. That you've managed to flourish at all here is remarkable," Ivy said, running her hand softly over Edward's chest as she spoke.

"Don't feel guilty about this Edward. I know your heart belongs to Winry, no matter how long you stay in this world. But in the here and now I have you, and I'll have you until the day we find a way to get you back. That's enough for me," and before he could say anything else she captured his lips in a soft, loving kiss.

"Now, tell me a story about the Hero of the People," Ivy said. Edward couldn't refuse even if he wanted to.

--

The next day Arkham's common room was a buzz as they watched the news, read papers, or listened to radio reports of the benefit marking the opening of the Amestrian Botanical Gardens. Killer Croc was sitting next to Harvey Two-Face as he read the paper and looked the the picture of Poison Ivy and the kid as he called him. Croc was not the only one near by as Harley squealed at the picture of her best friend in such lovely clothes.

"Kid better be careful she doesn't make him choke on a ragweed or something," Harvey groused.

"Y'er just jealous the kid's made good and taken your ex for the ride," Croc remarked.

"Eddie sure does know how to do things big doesn't he Mr. J?" Harley quipped to the Joker.

"That he does Poo. We might have to drop in on the little tin man sometime. See how he's doing shacking up with Old Rosebud," Joker said

"Two bucks says he's pushing up daisies by the end of the week," Harvey grumbled.

"I don't know Harv, they always seemed pretty chummy to me," Harley said.

"Every man that witch sank her thorns into nearly ended up dead. What makes you think this Half-Metal brat will end up any different?" Harvey asked.

"Cause that tin soldier boy is doing all her dirty work for her and doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Pengy seems to have taken a shine to the kid too," Joker quipped.

"So what you thinkin' Mr. J?" Harley asked.

"Honestly nothing big. The kids no Batman and I have a wonderful joke for Ol' Batsy, Harl," Joker said then devolved into loud and horrifying laughter.

–

The night called to him. He couldn't really stop what he did, and Pamela never asked him to. Just to be careful and come back in one piece. She'd spend the nights he was out on her research, and when he wasn't doing anything he would walk the streets. They had modified his automail arm and leg to allow him to rappel from the building like Batman. That had been enough to allow him an easier way to move without being detected.

The wind blew slowly billowing his red cloak out. Only the hood was transmuted to never come away, always hiding his face. The spotlight summoning the Batman to aide the police in the night sky became as much his own summons as the old hero's. He never made himself available to the authorities here, but he new he'd be needed. This was who he was, the Hero of the People, the Alchemist dog of the military that was for the people.

This wasn't his world, nor his responsibility. That didn't change who he was. That didn't mean he could just turn the other way when someone needed him. "_Be Thou For The People"_ didn't stop applying just because this wasn't his home. His demons wouldn't stand for it. He wouldn't stand for it. Especially not on this day.

He pulled his watch from his packet and opened it. The ever present reminder, "_Don't Forget 3-Oct-11"_ stared back. He knew someone was behind him on that roof top, and from the lighter steps he figured it was the kid.

"Fancy meeting you here," Robin said.

"Fancy that, small world," Edward said.

"Why you out here? I figured you'd spend every moment with Ivy," Robin said as he walked beside him.

"Today isn't the day for such things," Edward responded.

Robin looked over his shoulder at the pocket watch, "_'Don't Forget?'_ Don't forget what?"

Edward closed the watch slowly, "Maybe I'll tell you someday."

A scream broke the moment of silence. Robin made for his grapple while Edward reached out with his right arm. "Time to go to work."

"That it is," Edward responded.

"Anything you want us to call you if your going to insist on butting into our turf?" Robin asked, a bit playfully.

"Fullmetal."

He had a home to return to, but until that day he would be the Hero of the People of Gotham. The scarlet clad avenger. The Fullmetal Alchemist.

To be Continued...

Author's Notes: Maybe I'll actually end up writing a lemon at some point. Never have before.

Thanks to Ryan and datdude for their assistance.


	3. Darkest Nights of My Demons

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Chapter 3: Darkest Nights of My Demons

A Fullmetall Alchemist/Batman Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

disclaimer: See part 1 and 2

Two years had past. In all that time he had built up the company with the help of Pamela to the second largest biotech firm in the city next to Wayne Enterprises. He had gotten his degree in advanced chemistry with a minor in botany. That he had done so in two years as opposed to four, and had already finished his doctorate amazed everyone who met the young man. At the age of nineteen he was the most well known man in the city. Only Bruce Wayne enjoyed greater fame.

Resembool Industries was the top name in toxic clean up, genetically engineered food stuffs, and prosthetic limb replacement technology. The advances of that company were always attributed to the scientists employed there. Dr. Pamela Isley made sure everyone had proper credit for their work, as well as lending her expertise to any project that may need it.

Dr. Winnifred Edwards and her husband Albert both pioneered the nerve connection technology that allowed amputees to control the most advanced prosthetic arms and legs known to man. The Company more then readily aided those who needed such things without question. Investments and income from their other ventures more then accounted for the needs of the patients receiving and recovering from the surgery.

Indeed, all of these things had been made possible by one man who made the companies motto, "_Be Thou For The People,"_ more then just words. To the world, Dr. Edward Elric epitomized the ideal his company stood for and was quick to defend their goals from any opposition. He had been able to negotiate multiple contracts with governments, businesses, and humanitarian organizations. The young man that had for all intents and purposes appeared out of no where had left his mark on the world with the good he did.

Gotham local publications had named him Man of the Year for his success. One had even named him Most Eligible Bachelor, though in an interview he had quickly corrected that when he said he was already spoken for. The society pages assumed he meant Dr. Pamela Isley, his Head of Research and Development whom he was never far from. Neither felt the need to correct that.

None of that mattered right now. All that mattered was the thug before the Fullmetal Alchemist. "Tell me where Robin is!"

"I swear I don't know! I'm not crazy enough to piss off Batman or you like that!" the thug screamed. Fullmetal was known in the Underworld as unforgiving, and no where near as nice as the Batman.

"Then tell me where I can find someone who does know," he said, his voice laced with rage that showed on his face if the thug could see it. The ever present hood more then hid the hero's face.

"No one, no knows anything I swear!" the thug said, nearly pissing himself.

Fullmetal didn't like the answer and threw him against a brick wall. With a clap of his hands the thug found himself trapped in a stone prison to wait for police. A grapple line shot out from his right arm and he was gone.

Three weeks. Robin had been missing for an entire month and it was driving everyone who knew the boy mad. Batman and Batgirl were doing the same as him, tearing apart any lead they could get to find the clown that had captured the boy wonder. Edward Elric joined the search without hesitation. Over the last two years he had grown fond of the kid, taking him on as almost a second brother. He let the Batman and Batgirl know about the dead lead over a com-link the older hero had given him. As he raced to meet up with the pair he couldn't help but remember better times.

--

_22 months ago..._

"_You actually stopped a guy who had made a nuclear bomb?" Robin asked._

"_He was crazy, thought that I'd take him to Central and present something that would obliterate cities. The only reason Al and I bothered was that he wouldn't shut up about it," Edward said as he and Robin sat on the ledge of a building._

"_At least you didn't have to worry about getting nuked off the map after that," Robin said._

"_He didn't respect Equivalent Exchange. He thought that alchemy didn't follow the rules of science and physics. My brother and I had made that mistake before when it came to human transmutation. We learned the hard way, and this guy just tried it without any regard for why it was forbidden," Edward said._

_Robin thought on that, "What is a human transmutation?"_

_Edward got quiet for a moment before answering, "It's when an Alchemist tries to play God. Nothing is equivalent to a human soul."_

_Robin didn't ask anymore about it. Edward watched the city for a moment before speaking, "I wonder what Alphonse is doing right now."_

"_Maybe looking for you," Robin said._

_Edward chuckled, "You're probably right. We were inseparable."_

_Edward hopped up, "Come on, lets get something to eat. I'm buying."_

_Robin grinned as they headed off the roof and into the night. Batman, Batgirl, and Robin had all agreed that they would give Fullmetal the benefit of the doubt about his origins. Once they did that they found the alchemist much more approachable. Robin even tried to tease him about his relationship with Poison Ivy, saying he had already gotten himself his own Catwoman. The first time he said that Batman was around, and only grunted. Edward had a laugh at that._

--

Fullmetal met up with the Dark Knight and Batgirl on a roof not far from where Robin had disappeared. The pair were waiting for him when he got there. The night hadn't offered them any leads either. Batgirl turned to Fullmetal and asked, "Anything?"

Edward shook his head, "No one is claiming anything. I've pulverized walls that gave more then what we are finding."

Fullmetal turned to the other Bat and said, "We need to reconsider what we know. We've searched the entire city and nothings come up. What haven't we thought of yet?"

Edward had earned Batman's respect over the last two years. Not just by his actions on the street aiding the struggle. Edward's actions in the fields of business and his company also earned Bruce Wayne's respect.

--

_15 months ago..._

"_It seems good and above board. Everything seems in order for the joint statement. This humanitarian mission you proposed is pretty impressive," Bruce said as he sat across from his younger colleague._

"_All the wars and slaughter in Africa have left many maimed. We have to be willing to do something about it. I've already spoken with Pamela, she's tweaking a few of the rapid food crop strains for the climate. We'll be ready to deploy about five tons of food plants within the next few days. With your help and support we can send several specialists over to install the nerve connection ports and fit people with prosthetic limbs. It will take time but we'll get there," Edward said._

_Bruce Wayne had to respect Edward's willingness to put his companies reputation on the line for such a cause. There was something however that bothered Wayne from the last time he had looked over Resembool Industries financial records. He had been trying to track some illegal underground doctors that were arming criminals with prosthetic weapons._

"_You heard about the increase in people using modified guns fitted to ports like yours?" Wayne asked._

_Edward huffed annoyed, "I've heard. I had my Chief Security Officer investigate if we had anything to do with it. I've made it clear that we will not design weapons here for any reason. If someone is using their position in my company for such a thing they'll be lucky if Batman or the authorities get to them before me and Pamela."_

_Wayne took that to heart and accepted Edward's word._

_Later that night Batman paid a visit to Edward's office. Edward was just pulling on his jacket to leave for the night and meet Pamela for dinner when Batman slid in the window. As with every encounter between the two before Edward showed no indication of being startled._

"_I take it your here about all the prosthetic weapons that are finding their way on the streets against my wishes?" Edward asked._

"_I found something I thought you might want to see," Batman said and dropped a file on Edward's desk. The young man took the file and looked it over. Batman could see the anger slowly turn to rage as the other man read the data._

"_You have undeniable proof that son of a bitch is involved?"_

"_Yes, I can take him down at any time. I felt you should know before I did, it could hit your reputation if your associated with him," Batman said._

"_I think it would be best if you handle it. I can't promise I will be able to keep myself from turning him into pulp," Edward growled._

"_You don't seem to be worried about the public response to someone who declared himself against his companies work being used as weapons having someone on his board that did just that," Batman said._

_Edward's response was quiet, but struck like thunder, "If he's using our companies resources to do this, and I missed it, then I deserve the backlash. This is a violation of the trust I've spent a lot of personal effort fostering with the public. I'll take the hit if and when it comes. First I need to call Pamela and tell her we're in for a late night."_

_Edward grabbed the phone on his desk and began making calls. Pamela came straight away and entered the office just as Batman had left. It was a long night and damage control was already being performed but Edward wasn't worried about that. He was more worried about the repercussions to the African mission and the support of Wayne Enterprises. He fully expected Wayne to back out and for good reason._

_When the news hit that Batman has dragged Resembool Industries CSO in for weapons smuggling the press was in an uproar. Edward and Pamela spent the day answering calls and giving statements. Every paper got a condemnation of the CSO and the companies pledge to fully cooperate with the authorities in prosecuting him and anyone who may have been working with him. Edward also made it clear that even if he wasn't directly involved he was still responsible for the actions his company had been used for._

_When Wayne walked in Edward feared the worst. "You're here about the shit storm I'm stuck in aren't you."_

"_It's all over the news. They've been playing your statements almost every half hour," Bruce said._

"_I suppose your here to tell me that Wayne Enterprises can't be seen supporting such actions, or even give the appearance of such impropriety," Edward said, pretty certain that was the case._

"_Actually I came to see if we were still on for that joint statement," Bruce said._

"_You're still willing to do business with us even knowing what my CSO was doing?"_

"_In spite of what you may think, the CSO being arrested and charged reflects on his greed. You moved pretty quickly to help the authorities and give them full access. I know it seems like your responsibility to take the fall for the actions of your subordinates, but actually doing it gives me a sense of security," Bruce said._

"_Thank you for the vote of confidence," Edward said, honestly thankful._

_Wayne reached across the table and offered his left hand to Edward. Edward accepted it as Wayne said, "Wayne Enterprises will continue to honor our agreements, and lend our resources to the coming relief mission of yours."_

_It was the first time that both men actually felt they had earned the others respect. Wayne Enterprises and Resembool Industries announced a joint humanitarian effort on the African Continent a week later._

_--_

The trio were making their way to the other side of the roof when they saw the gift wrapped box. The ticking was obvious and all three made a run for cover when it blew. Nothing more then smoke and confetti came out, as well as a horrid jack in the box wearing Robin's mask and a straight jacket. Fullmetal came to the same conclusion Batman had. Only Batman gave voice to what they all thought. "Arkham."

It should have been obvious. Even if the old Asylum had been abandoned due to the decaying foundation and cracking bedrock, it was still a foreboding presence in Gotham. The worst of the worst had been housed there. Mad men, criminals, psychotics, and sociopaths had graced it's walls. It stuck out, like an open wound on the city.

Edward understood better then either of his companions as the raced to the old asylum. He had been housed there with the other inmates as if he were one of them. The doctors there had treated him as if he were just like the others. Edward still kicked himself for being foolish enough for telling them what he did. He should have known better, but he still told them the truth. And he had paid for it. He had fallen in that place.

It was Ivy that saved him.

--

_32 months ago..._

_They had let him out of the cell and allowed him time in the common room. Edward just sat there, reading a book on botany he had found in the library. It was the best way to deal with his life right then. Ignore the other inmates. They were some of the worst criminals he had ever seen. Some were not really that intimidating when compared to the homunculi, but that wasn't the point. He had just finished his session with Dr. Trevalian. It had gone horribly, and the idiot had classified him as deluded and unable to tell what was real. Edward just ran his left hand over his right arm, feeling every bolt, every seam. That alone helped cement himself to what was real. This world was not his, just the hell he had been alloted for trying the forbidden again. The one thing that kept ringing in his ears over and over was that damned doctor saying, "But you understand there is no way to put a soul into a suit of Armor. It's just fantasy."_

_So he just sat there reading, practically absorbing the knowledge that book granted. His arm and leg were out for everyone to see, the metal limbs seeming to keep the other inmates at bay. Him pulling himself further and further into his shell seemed to be similar to how some of the other inmates coped with captivity. The stranger ones, like the large crocodile chimera and the scarred man just gave him a passing look and ignored him. The clown seemed uninterested, instead just trying to get the mousy fellow who was sipping tea like he was a proper gentleman to spill it all._

_He was just reading an interesting passage on plant hybrids when he heard a voice ask, "So what's your interest in plants?"_

_He had tried to ignore everything but he decided to look up from his reading. That was when he saw her. Red hair, green eyes, and pale skin all wrapped in the same drab wrapped everything else had. Edward would have called her beautiful if he even cared. "I just want to learn."_

_The red haired woman sat down next to him, "Well, there is only so much you can learn in a book. Taking care of plants is like taking care of children. They need love and care, and if you ignore them they start to wither and die."_

"_Honestly plants aren't my area of expertise. I've always been better with chemistry and metallurgy. But I knew some guys once that were experts. Ever since I've been meaning to read up a little," Edward said._

_Ivy smiled at that, "Well, botany and plant hybridization are specialties of mine. I'm Ivy."_

"_Edward."_

_They spent the next hour or so discussing the finer points of raising various forms of plants. Edward felt a lot more relaxed then when he had started with the book. He didn't notice, but never once did Ivy ask about his arm and leg. They spent many days like that, just talking about plants. It helped him more then the medications or the worthless sessions._

_It was a month later when he started telling her about Amestris. She listened to his stories, sometimes joined by the hyper blond haired girl who called herself Harley. He told them everything about alchemy, his time as a State Alchemist. Ivy always had an understanding smile on her face when Edward spoke about his mother. She took his left hand in his when he told her about his father leaving them when he was four, and his mother's death when he was eight._

_He told her everything. And then she told him everything._

_--_

The dark halls and shadows seemed more intense as they walked through. Fullmetal broke off from the group and indicated he'd try to flank the clowns. Batman didn't speak but understood. He agreed with the younger mans actions and continued on the direct path with Batgirl beside him. Edward made his way around to the theater they had been heading towards. Edward made his way in the shadows, and saw Batman and Batgirl enter.

Edward hid in the shadows as the damned clown's voice rang out from no where. Edward listened closely as he watched, but what he saw terrified him. Edward never had reason or care to believe in God. But what Joker did to Tim Drake more then proved to him that their was a Devil. Batgirl and Harley had already started fighting when Edward stuck to the shadows trying to get behind the other two. Joker grabbed something and managed to bind Batman in some large red ribbon.

Edward watched from the shadows as Joker boasted about everything he did to Tim to turn him into J.J. It made Edward sick. He caught Batman's attention and held up his right hand. Edward held up his left hand with three fingers up. Batman silently acknowladged he understood as Edward began counting down with his fingers. 3... 2... 1... SNAP!

A ribbon of fire snaked it's way around the ribbon holding Batman, burning it off without ever harming the Dark Knight. Joker whirled around trying to find where Edward was. A shot went off that Edward easily dodged. Batman ran straight at Joker while Edward chased Tim.

"Tim, come on man. It's me, Edward. You know, Fullmetal. You got to recognize me kid," Edward said as he tried to reason with what ever remained of the boy he knew. The mad smile that seemed cemented on his face terrified Edward. Was there even anything left of Tim Drake in there?

The swift kick to the stomach at least proved J.J. had all of Tim's fighting skills.

"I don't want to hurt you Tim," Edward said as he dodged the punches and kicks the younger man threw. Edward jumped back, flipping in the air and landed on his left foot. He sprung fast and tried to subdue the crazed boy wonder, but Tim got in a strong kick to Edward's head. Edward fell back and watched the boy run off into the shadows in the same direction Joker and Batman had gone.

"You want to play it soft, we'll play it soft. You want to play hard, lets play hard," Edward said and ran after him.

--

_6 months ago..._

_Bruce had invited Edward into the cave after hearing the younger man mention he needed a place to train. Bruce had no problem readily providing a place to do so in secret. The moment in the alleyway was enough to cement Bruce's confidence that the younger man could be really trusted. So in between patrols Edward would take his way through one of Wayne's training simulations. It helped him keep up physically._

_Today he was sparring with Tim on one of the practice mats. Bruce had to admit Edward was good. He had all the moves of someone who had spent years perfecting the art of combat. His style was similar to many Asian martial arts Bruce had studied but he couldn't really see one style Edward favored. When asked how he had learned Edward had told him, "My alchemy teacher always told us that to train the mind you had to train the body. She taught us everything she knew about fighting, and I've picked up things over the years."_

_The benefits of bringing Edward in were already starting to show. Tim hadn't yet been able to best Edward but he was improving. Edward's attitude also seemed to spur the Boy Wonder on, considering that Edward treated their sparring sessions like a brothers match. Edward had never beaten Alphonse before, that had just been even more true when his brother had been in the armor. It was pretty much impossible to beat an opponent that never tired, had a height ad weight advantage in the extreme, and of course didn't feel pain. _

"_That was a work out," Tim said as he and Edward left the mat. Edward laughed and ruffled the kids hair a bit playfully. Tim shoved him off but laughed. The older fighter just flexed his metal arm and leg a few times to check for any abnormal sounds or stiff movements. That was another thing Bruce noticed. Edward never trained in sparring with the metal limbs. He could tell that over time Edward had learned when to pull out the potentially lethal weapons from his arsenal._

"_You almost got me a few times. Have to say, it's nice to be able to actually beat someone in sparring. Never could beat Al," Edward said with a smile on his face._

"_And he was your younger brother? Maybe you were just feeling your age," Tim joked._

"_You try fighting a suit of armor that doesn't know the meaning of the word tired," Ed shot back. The whole time neither lost the smiles on their faces._

_Bruce felt there was a major benefit however to having Edward down here. Tim had someone closer to his age to measure himself against. With Dick gone, Tim was the youngest. Bruce did his best to give the boy every advantage he could but the comradere of an older brother figure certainly helped. That friendly rivalry did more to push Tim to improve then any training sim ever could._

_Edward took a seat near the small area Bruce had setup for maintenance on his arm and leg. Even though Edward could get anything he needed done from his company, certain upgrades had always been done in secret. He had been working on the newest upgraded limbs. They decreased weight and drag while increasing the strength of the metals, and included compartments in the leg. There was also the inclusion of massive amounts of data storage and communications equipment. Edward wanted to be able to take as much back as possible when he found his way home. The small computer in the arms wrist would be all the access he would need._

"_Why all the hardware?" Tim asked._

"_I need to be able to take as much as I can when I get back. All the knowledge I've gained since I've been here could seriously help everyone back home. Hell, the technology behind these new limbs could drastically change the way automail is designed and installed back home, especially installation. We've been able to..." Edward went on, enlightening Tim on the finer points of prosthetic limbs in both this word and Amestris. Bruce went to the computer and smirked as the two younger men continued their conversation._

_The strange thing was if you asked Edward he'd say he wasn't a mechanical expert. He'd tell you that the only person he felt could make real use of that information was Winry Rockbell. He never gave himself any credit when it came to the arm and leg._

–

Edward chased Tim through the dark halls, but he had lost he smaller boy somewhere in the shadows. He kept his eyes opened, and slide the small concealing plat in the underside of his arm reveling a computer display. With a tap on the com-link in his ear the computer lit up.

"Alphonse, scan for any signs of life," he said to the small AI in his wrist.

A simulated voice he had painstakingly crafted to sound like his brother spoke back, "Nothing on infrared. Nothing on UV. Nothing on audio sensors."

Edward cursed and kept searching for the poor boy. What Joker had done, it was just like that horrible night when he was eleven. That night that haunted his dreams to this day of when he had lost Al's body and his arm and leg. In a way this was worse, especially if the kid he knew as Tim Drake was still somewhere inside J.J.

A shot rang out, and Edward could feel his heart racing. Alphonse spoke softly in his ear, "Location pinpointed, head straight then left in five meters."

Edward ran as fast as he could towards the sound of the gunshot. There had been no more shots fired which filed Edward with dread. Either the gun had gone off and missed, or someone was hit, probably Bruce, and the Joker was gloating before finally finishing him. What he found when he burst through the doorway into the room wasn't what he was expecting. He very much wished it had been.

Joker was dead, with a flag that said "BANG!" lodged right in his heart. The gun was laying right next to Tim, who was crying heavily as Batgirl held him tight. For a moment, Edward's mind flashed back to that horrible night in his father's study. He could swear for a moment he saw the glowing purple eyes of the thing he had created, and smell his own blood in the air. He came out of it after a moment and approached Batman.

"What now?" Edward asked quietly.

"I'm going to call Jim, we need help," Batman said.

"Jim Gordon's a good man, he'll keep our secret," Edward said.

"I don't care, all that matter's now is helping Tim," Batman said. Edward could only nod in agreement.

"I'm going to see if I can find Harley's body. If she's dead, Pamela will at least want to give her a proper burial. They were friends," Edward said. He didn't trust himself to do much right now. Searching for a corpse seemed the only thing he could do at the moment.

"If she's not, you know what to do," Batman said.

"If I find her alive, I'll drag her to Gotham General myself. If not, then there really isn't anything I can do now is there," Edward said. He left the scene of that nights horror and walked outside. The moment he knew he was far enough away from the three not to be heard he doubled over and vomited all over the floor. He set off to find a corpse after his stomach was completely empty.

--

Pamela was waiting for him at Wayne Manor. He didn't ask why, but he figured Bruce or Barbara had told her. Edward had always maintained a professional courtesy of not revealing their identities. If they chose to reveal themselves then he would respect their decision. He walked to her and pulled her into his arms. He didn't speak but held her close to him. She just held him, and wept for both Tim and Harley.

"All I found was this," Edward said, then haded a piece of torn fabric to Bruce. It was black with a red diamond on it, defiantly a piece of Harley's costume.

It was early morning by the time Edward, Pamela, Bruce, and Jim Gordon sat down. Pamela stayed close to Edward as they both waited with Wayne and Gordon. Barbara had gone to sit with Tim while Alfred made some strong coffee. Edward finally spoke up.

"So what now?"

"We help Tim as best we can," Bruce said. Edward and Pamela silent agreed to abide by Bruce's decisions no matter what as it related to that horrible night.

Alfred came in and poured the group hot coffee. No one said anything though as the elderly gentlemen just left to check on Tim and Barbara and see if Dr. Tompkins needed anything. No one said anything for the longest time. Calls were made stating that Edward and Pamela were ill. Bruce made sure that he wasn't needed that day.

Pamela being let in on who Batman had been all these years seemed insignificant to the damage Joker had done. Like most people she had that line she wouldn't cross. She would never ever harm children. Joker had not just crossed it, he had ran over it laughing the whole way. Edward kept his left arm wrapped around her shoulders as the day wore on and they stood vigil with the residents of Wayne Manor.

"We need to cover this up. We have to protect Tim as best we can," Jim said.

"Then first thing we do is hide the body. We bury that sick bastard under Arkham, literally," Edward said.

"How far down can you make it?" Jim asked.

"How far do you want it? I can transmute a hole in the ground as far down as we need then fill it all in. It will be as if no one was ever there," Edward said, his voice low and hard.

Pamela's voice could barely be heard when she said, "I might have something that could help him. I don't think I can reverse what's happened but, maybe I can ease the withdrawal from whatever he used."

Bruce nodded a small thank you to the former Rogue. Silence seemed to settle in for a moment, though only because no one knew what else to say. They waited patiently for Dr. Tompkins to give them some news on Tim's condition. Eventually Pamela and Barbara left to go to the greenhouse to see if any of the Dr. Isley's herbal remedies would help.

Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon, and Edward Elric drove silently to Arkham to hide Joker's body. Edward transmuted a grave all the way down to the bedrock, deep beneath Arkham's foundation. Even when the demolition was finished no one would ever find the Joker's corpse. To the world, that night never happened. Jim Gordon kept the secret of that night to his dying day.

Edward Elric, Bruce Wayne, Pamela Isley, Barbara Gordon, and Tim Drake could never forget the nightmares.

–

_October 3rd 13 Months ago..._

_Bruce Wayne stepped out of the limo and walked down the alley way. His over coat barely kept the chill of the winter air from him. He walked down the alleyway to the spot where it happened. He took two flowers and stood there for a moment. He knew he was being watched, and didn't react when he heard the footsteps behind him._

"_So this day has a deeper meaning to you as well," Edward Elric's voice said. He was in his usual cloak with the hood raised hiding his face. Bruce Wayne wasn't supposed to know who Fullmetal was under the hood._

"_Yes it does," Bruce answered._

"_So tell me, Batman, what happened here that you can never forget?" he asked._

_Bruce turned and gave the hooded figure a hard glare. With a clap of his hands Fullmetal relaxed his hood and drew it back, revealing himself to the older man. Bruce understood, Edward wouldn't bother showing his face if he wasn't certain. Bruce didn't correct him. He didn't need to because Edward was right._

"_How did you figure it out?" Bruce asked, curious._

"_You've known me with and without the cloak since I broke out of Arkham. After a while, you pick up things if you know what to look for. If anything it's equivalent exchange. You know who I really am and now, I know who you really are. I'll keep this to myself though. It's not my place to unmask you. And I am not a hypocrite," Edward said._

_They stood there in silent contemplation before Bruce finally spoke, "I was eight years old. My parents and I had just left the movie theater. I can't remember what was playing that night but I remember we all enjoyed it. We were just heading to go meet Alfred to go home when someone came out of the shadows. It was just some punk kid. There wasn't anything special about him, just that he was rough looking. He pulled a gun on us and demanded money. My father and mother gave him everything they had. And when that was done he shot them right in front of me. The only thing that saved me was the rushing of someone who heard the shots. I stopped being a kid on that night, and swore never again._

"_Every moment of everyday since I've fought to make sure another child doesn't have to see their parents killed in front of them."_

_Edward pulled his pocket watch out and opened it, starring at the rough inscription inside. He didn't do anything for a moment then said, "I was eight when my mother died. My father had left us when I was four, and after mother passed all I could feel for him was hate. All I remembered was the smell of that awful cologne he seemed to bathe in all the time. I hated him for making mother die alone. My brother Alphonse and I had been studying alchemy since we could read. I had read about human transmutation and swore I'd bring her back. _

"_We spent years studying and learning. We spent a year with a skilled alchemist in Dublith named Izumi Curtis. She treated us like her own sons, but I was still determined to pull it off. When we got back to Resembool we got all the components together and drew the transmutation circle in father's study. I'll never forget that night. We were certain it would work."_

_Edward paused for a moment as a tear slid down his cheek, "Izumi had warned us that human transmutation was forbidden, but she never said why. And when your a kid, and think you know better you do things that your told not to. We learned that night why it was forbidden. The transmutation was going perfectly then suddenly, there was this gate before us. The doors opened and black arms shot out. They grabbed Alphonse and dragged him inside. I couldn't hold on to him. The gate slammed shut on him and I slammed my fists against it. I demanded it give Al back._

"_It opened a second time, and I felt like my mind was going to explode. So much knowledge was shoved into my brain. I looked right at The Truth and was certain I could fix what I had done. But it came at a price. The arms came back and tore off my left leg just above the knee. And then I was back in the study, and Al was gone. I couldn't let him just disappear so I pulled a suit of armor off the wall, and drew a blood seal on the inside of the back plate. I gave up my right arm to bind Al's soul to that suit of armor," Edward said._

_For a moment neither man said anything, until Edward continued, "Lieutenant Colonel Mustang found us and offered us the resources to try to fix our mistake. When he said we might be able to reverse it, I made my choice. I had Pinako and Winry give me the best automail they could. It usually takes automail recipients three years to recover from surgery and therapy. I did it in one._

"_It was October 3, 1911 when we set off. But before we did, we burned the house and everything in it. We couldn't afford to turn back, only move forward. I swore to myself I would fix our mistakes. It eventually changed, penance for committing a sin worse then even taking a life."_

_The two men stood there in silence again. A whole minute passed before Bruce turned and walked towards the car. He stopped and said, "If I had that option when I was a child, I can't say I wouldn't have done the same."_

_Edward just said, "Be glad you didn't. You took that night and turned it into a just cause. All I've been doing since is penance. Either way, that is the burden for those of us who don't forget. To us our pain is nothing, compared to what those we look out for go through."_

_Neither man said another word. They didn't have to. In that time they had both recognized the truth in that moment. That they were kindred souls who couldn't let the past fade, but let it drive them forward. Bruce sat in the limo as Alfred drove away, and Edward pulled his hood over his head and headed home to Pamela._

To Be Continued...

Author's Notes: This one was difficult. Had to get a lot of continuity from the Batman Beyond Return of the Joker movie straight and integrate Edward into it. Especially since I needed this chapter to fill in some gaps previous chapters left open.

This time around for author's notes I have a special treat. A Scene I thought of adding in, but decided against. I was going to have track Harley down and find her, only to have Harley get the drop on him. I later figured that it would not work, as I don't see Ed being caught off his guard so easily after a night like that.

_Begin Extra Scene..._

He came to with his head splitting. He couldn't believe he had let her get the drop on him like that. He had been so full of adrenalin and scared for Tim and Harley that he ignored his instincts just once. He was paying for it with the massive headache he now suffered. He tried to get up but found he couldn't. His left leg was gone, sitting all of six feet away. Right next to Harley Quinn.

She looked horrible. The white makeup she always wore streaked with black and running off her face. Her costume was torn in places and she held her right arm close to her like it was broken. He didn't have to see her to know she was crying. He could hear it clear as day.

"Harl, you got to come back with me." Edward said.

"I can't Eddie. Not after what we did," Harley answered, her voice filled with sorrow and guilt.

"Joker's dead, you don't have to run anymore. We can help you, Pamela and me, we'll help you."

"You already tried. I should have listened Eddie. You and Red were always right about Mr. J. I never listened," Harley said, then she got up and started stumbling away.

"Harley, don't run! You need help, a doctor. Please, come back with me," Edward pleaded.

"Tell Red, I'm sorry," Harley said, and ran away from Edward.

"Harley, come back! HARLEY!"

Edward dragged himself to his leg and reattached it as fast as he could. The pain of the nerves being attached caused his stomach to lurch. The head wound must have been worse then he thought. He could barely stand and walk, let alone run after the woman. He did the only thing he could do. He called for help and waited for Batman or Batgirl to find him.

_End Extra Scene_


	4. Aftermath of the Burning of Our Souls

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Chapter 4: Aftermath of the Burning of Our Souls

A Fullmetal Alchemist/Batman Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

It had been six months since that night. For the first few weeks Edward had taken over most of the load for Batman so he could focus his time on helping Tim recover. He even made friends with Commissioner Gordon. The fact the older man knew who he was, and had apparently knew who the Fullmetal alchemist who stalked his streets had been for a while without saying anything helped. They did their best to keep things as quiet as possible.

Criminals in Gotham never stood a chance. Fullmetal was as dangerous if not more frightening then Batman at times. After all, Batman couldn't rain fire on them, literally. Edward had made it a note to himself to ask Mustang to teach him the finer points of flame alchemy when he got back. If he got back.

He had started thinking more in if's then when's lately. All the calculations and theoretical equations had proven it was possible for him to get back. But at the same time proved that practically speaking it would be impossible with technology available. That had done nothing for his hopes, and left him considering the arcane for possible ways back. He would have to ask Bruce if he knew any magic users with anywhere near the skill to even say one way or the other.

But thoughts of leaving Gotham now were plagued but what he would be leaving behind. He wanted to go back, to be with his brother and Winry again. But as time passed he couldn't help but think about how his leaving would affect Pamela. The woman had been by his side almost as long as he had been in this world. Now when he thought of leaving her here in this place he felt his chest hurt, like it was tearing inside.

Equivalent Exchange. Sacrifice everything to save his brother, end up in Gotham. It seemed he'd have to sacrifice everything that mattered again to get home. He and Pamela never talked about their relationship being more then it was. They both knew that in time Edward would be gone never to return. Still, it didn't stop Edward from wondering what his life would be like after he left Gotham, if he could ever really leave.

He heard a scream that chilled him to his soul and took of to find whomever was in trouble that night. He jumped over roofs and flew threw the air on his grapple lines. The wind never once pulling the transmuted hood of his cloak away from his face. Most nights he had no problem getting there before the worst happened. Tonight was not one of those nights.

When he got to where he though the scream had come from, all he found was the broken battered body of a seven year old girl. He moved quickly to her and checked her over. Her eyes caught his and he held her gaze.

"It's okay, I'm here to help you," he said, his voice as calm and ind as he could make it. Alphonse had already notified the police for him and gave them his location. Edward held his right arm over the girl and ordered the AI in his prosthetic to do a full scan on her. The data was uploaded to the EMT's enroute, but it wasn't pretty.

"Just stay with me. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. Tell me your name," Fullmetal said.

"Beth," she answered. Blood was matting her dark black hair, and Edward was certain she had several internal injuries.

"Beth, that's a nice name. Do you have any family? Mom, dad, brother or sister?"

Beth shook her head, the hollow look in her brown eyes terrified Edward. A child shouldn't have those eyes. Sirens in the distance were the only comfort Edward had in this situation. Someone who understood how best to heal this child would be here soon. Her eyes started to slide shut, scarring Edward.

"Come on Beth, stay with me. Helps almost here. Come on, keep your eyes open sweetheart," Edward said, trying to keep her awake. Had the ambulance driven up any later, Edward was certain that little Beth would not have made it. He moved off and let the EMT's do their work before moving her to a stretcher. Gordon approached Fullmetal as the ambulance drove off, sirens blaring.

"It's always the worst when it's kids," Gordon said as he and Fullmetal watched officers pour over the scene. Fullmetal stayed back and let them do their work, hoping they could at least find evidence to track the bastard responsible.

"Children should never have to suffer like this. Children should never have to grow up alone," Fullmetal said.

"That we agree on."

–

"AL!" Edward screamed, shooting up straight in the bed. His breathing was rapid and it took him a moment to remember where he was. The warm arms wrapping around his chest, and soft body pressing into his back helped calm him down. Pamela just held him close as he calmed down from the nightmare. The memory of that night of blood and loss. His shoulder and leg ached with the remembered pain, feeling almost like they had been torn from him again. It took him several minutes to calm down before he allowed Pamela to pull him back down.

The nightmares had come back in force since that night Joker died. Tim's recovery was horrendously slow, his sleep plagued by nightmares. Edward just kept seeing the faces of Alphonse, both Nina Tucker's, Majahal, Greed, Sloth, Rose, all the people whom he had killed or been responsible for hurting. He'd see visions of the Gate, and the blood soaked bodies of Winry and Pamela. Their blood turning the shining metal of his right arm crimson. He'd hear Joker, Envy, and Kimbley laughing at him in those dreams.

Pamela just ran her fingers through Edward's hair, and kissed his cheek, proving she was still really there. This hadn't been the first time Edward had this nightmare, and she knew it wouldn't be the last. She had them as well, though it wasn't her victim's coming back to haunt her. She'd dream of Harley's broken battered body condemning her for failing to save the female clown. They both held each other through the night, trying to find any comfort they could.

–

Edward had an early meeting the next morning with Bruce at Wayne Enterprises. A cup of Pamela's herbal tea kept him awake and energetic but inside he wasn't really feeling it. He walked through the building, making it seem as if he was happier then he was. It was a skill Edward had mastered years ago so that no one would worry. It helped to be able to hide his emotions and not let anyone but a trusted few in.

Dr. Elric had become a common face at Wayne Enterprises due to their many business dealings. Today the agenda officially was an audit requested by both companies to ensure that nothing unscrupulous was occurring. Edward had no problem with that, remembering the debacle with his CSO using Resembool Industries resources to manufacture and deal in weapons under the table.

Unofficially it was a chance for the two men to coordinate their efforts on other areas of concern. The rash of children being raped and or murdered in Gotham hit both men hard. Batman had gone back out on patrol a few weeks after that night six months ago, but Fullmetal still handled most of the lower level stuff. Edward figured it was best hat way, freeing up Batman's time to deal with the higher level crime bosses.

"You look lousy," Wayne said when Edward entered his office.

"Look in a mirror," Edward replied. It was true, neither man had really been doing well the last six months.

"Nightmares?" Wayne asked as Edward fell into the chair in front of Wayne's desk.

"Nine years of blood and death all coming back at once. You?" Edward replied.

"If it's not my nightmares it's Tim's," Bruce said.

Edward nodded, completely understanding what Bruce was talking about, "He's going to have this haunt him the rest of his life. Even if he was mad at the time and was a psychotic like Joker, he's still going to have this with him the rest of his life."

"I just wish I knew how to help him," Bruce said.

"It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have," Edward said.

"Who said that? Patton?" Bruce asked.

"Clint Eastwood," Edward said with a smirk on his lips. He pulled out some reports from his briefcase and set them on the table. As Bruce began reading over them Edward continued, "Fact is Bruce I don't know if you can help him. It's not an easy thing to live with, taking a life. Not for men like us. People like Joker, Zolf Kimbley, even both Tuckers they don't care. They destroy lives for fun and laugh the whole way. Men like us can't do that. You've never had to take a life. It stains you. The blood never comes off your hands, even if one of them is stainless steel."

"Speaking from experience?" Bruce asked.

Edward let out a mirthless chuckle, "Being a State Alchemist for the state of Amestris is pretty much a military commission. You don't get the luxury of the moral high ground in battle. It may not be innocent blood, but it's still blood."

The conversation died off after that, staying to the safe and mundane world of business and finance. As the morning turned to afternoon then night the two men finished their audit and found everything on the surface was clean. That at the least meant that there was nothing over going on at Resembool. Edward closed his brief case and stood to leave, Bruce planning to take the patrol tonight. As Edward approached the door Bruce asked, "How many?"

Edward replied, "Four people killed or seriously injured by my hand, including my younger brother Alphonse. Hundreds if not thousands by my actions."

It was a dark night for both men.

–

A heaviness had set itself on Edwards shoulders. He could feel it, a storm was brewing on the horizon and he cold only see the edge of it. Like a hurricane still out at sea. He could only glimpse a small portion of the chaos that he could feel in his bones. It's what had lead him to consult the lawyers in private the day before yesterday. It's what lead him to carry the three envelopes in his cloaks pocket that night. It's what lead him to the back room of the Iceberg Lounge looking for Oswald Cobblepot.

"My boy, it's been a while since you've been in. I've heard things have been busy for you," Oswald said.

"Sorry for not keeping in touch as well as I should," Edward said.

"Not at all, you've had many things to carry on your shoulders. I expected nothing less. I could only hope all my clients benefited from my work as well as you. Or been as appreciative of my efforts on their behalf," Oswald said. It was true, while Edward had not come into the Iceberg since Resembool Industries got off the ground he had met with Oswald Cobblepot many times. Edward considered the older man a valued adviser, and trusted friend. Which was why he had come here to ask him to do one final thing for him.

"I need you to hold on to something for me, Oswald," Edward said and pulled out the menellia envelope containing his Last Will and Testament. He also handed Oswald the letters. They were addressed to three people. Batman, Robin, and Dr. Pamela Isley.

"Putting your affairs in order? Is there something wrong?" Oswald asked, his voice concerned.

"I don't know, but I can feel something is coming. I've almost been in this world four years. It seems that my life gets ripped to shreds every four years or so. This is just in case, but if I do pass from this world one way or the other, I need to know those will be delivered," Edward said.

Oswald nodded, opening his safe and securing the documents inside. Edward knew he could trust the older man to handle things should for some reason he leave Gotham and never return. Edward made to leave when the Penguin said, "I take it this may be one of the last times I see you then."

"I don't know. But if it is, thank you... for everything."

–

Fullmetal ran across the rooftops trying to hunt down the child killer the papers were calling "The Candyman" due to his leaving small candies on his victims bodies. The death toll was up to five now and Batman, Fullmetal, and the Gotham PD were out in force to catch the monster. Fullmetal prayed there wouldn't be a sixth child added to the list. He heard a scream near where he was and went straight there, not even waiting for backup or to call in. What he found when he got there made his heart stop.

Pamela was dressed in her green costume she had worn when she was Poison Ivy. Fullmetal could see how she had earned her reputation from the outfit, but the look on her face was anything but seductive right then. It was twisted in unbridled hatred towards the man she was attacking, a little girl no older then four cowered against a dumpster.

Fullmetal jumped, trusting his grapple line to catch him as Pamela threw a vile on the grown at the killers feet. The vines sprung out instantly, grabbing his wrists and ankles and lifting The Candyman up off the ground. She puled something out of a pocket in her costume and held it up.

"Do you know what this is? Poison lipstick. I used this to kill many men before I gave up the game. A last kiss, to send them on for their crimes against this earth. I'm not going to give you anything near as pleasant. This syringe holds the exact same poison, only more concentrated and modified. Where they just went into a coma and died in their sleep you will suffer and scream and know the pain you've caused. Every second of your death will be but a prelude for when you burn in Hell!"

Before she got close to him she heard a familiar voice cry out, "Pamela stop!"

She didn't want to turn around, didn't want to see that hooded figure. If she did she wouldn't be able to go through with this. She slowly turned and saw the cloaked figure of the Fullmetal Alchemist, her Edward. He just stood there, watching her.

"Don't do this Pamela, you don't have to go down that path again," Edward's soft voice said.

"Poison Ivy killed men for less important things like a rose going extinct, or a few miles of land. What makes you think she would have any remorse for ending a monster like this," Pamela screamed.

Edward walked towards her slowly, he kept his voice low and soft as he said, "You aren't Poison Ivy anymore. She died three and a half years ago when you helped save the soul of a boy who had fallen in this world without any hope. She died when you started using your knowledge for the betterment of the planet as a whole. Poison Ivy wouldn't have any remorse for this, but you aren't her anymore. Those hands aren't the hands that take life now. Those hands bring life to the world around them."

Pamela was trembling, the syringe fell to the ground and shattered. Edward extended his left hand to her, "Take my hand."

Pamela took it and found her self pulled into a tight protective embrace. She felt safe in his arms of flesh and steel, and finally broke down. She sobbed uncontrollably into Fullmetal's shoulder as he just held her, telling her it was going to be alright. She barely noticed when he extended his right hand and snapped his fingers, bringing fire to the poison on the ground.

Fullmetal spoke into his right wrist, "Alphonse, contact Gordon. Relay message, 'Have captured Candyman. Waiting for transport.' Send message and location."

"Confirmed," the artificial representation of his brother's voice chirped back.

Fullmetal held Pamela tightly in his left arm and extended his right. The grapple line shot out and lifted them from that dark alleyway. Fullmetal carried her in his arms the whole way home. She fell asleep from the exhaustion and agony that filled her heart.

–

Edward expected the visit from both Batman and Commissioner Gordon. He left Pamela lying in bed, sleeping restlessly. Both men stood in the main green house, away from the small housing area that Edward made for him and Pamela. He greeted them shortly, "Jim, Batman."

"She snapped, didn't she," Batman asked.

Edward ran his hands through his hair and looked up towards the sky, "Yea, yea she did."

"Is she alright?" Gordon asked.

"Not now, she will be but it's gonna take some time. She fell into a dark place tonight, and it's going to take time for me to lift her out of it," Edward said.

"I didn't expect her to have a breakdown like this," Batman said.

Edward couldn't hold back the mirthless laugh, "Honestly, I'm surprised one of us didn't go off the deep end sooner. After everything that's happened, that we can even pretend to go about our days without curling up in some corner and crying is a miracle."

Neither of the older men had anything to say to that, "You're right. It's one of the reasons the force has councilors on staff."

"We don't exactly get that option. It's not like Batman of Fullmetal can just book an appointment with a therapists," Edward said. Jim nodded.

"I'll take care of Pamela, I can't leave her like this."

Jim nodded and turned to leave, but Batman stayed for a moment, "You think you're not going to be around much longer," he said. It wasn't a question.

Edward couldn't bring himself to meet Batman's eyes, "I can feel something coming. I don't know why or how but I can. Six months from now, I might not still be around."

Edward walked away after that, not wanting to answer anymore questions. Batman didn't have any. The night seemed to be the darkest he'd ever seen as he left the Greenhouse of the Amestrian Gardens that night.

To Be Continued...

Author's Notes: Shorter chapter then usual. Felt we needed a down swing as we get close to the climax and finale. The first part of this fic is set to Disturbed's _"Inside the Fire" _and _"Enough" _from the album "Indestructible". The entire last part of this chapter from the Alleyway to the end is set to Disturbed's _"Darkness"_ from the album "Believe."

Behind the scenes tidbit, My opinion on certain types of Evangelion fics is voiced ironically enough in the ending part.


	5. The Oncoming Storm

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Chapter 5: The Oncoming Storm

A Fullmetal Alchemist/Batman Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

The moonlight spilling in to their bedroom bathed her in silver light. Edward just watched her sleep against him, holding her as closely as he could. He ran his left hand along her red hair and just watched Pamela rest. Her breakdown had made him question whether or not he should be trying to go back to Amestris. He knew the answer to that question though.

He had no choice in the matter. He had to get back, to bring back all the knowledge he had gained. He had a duty to the people there to try to prepare them for whatever threats may come in the future. The arm and leg alone would advance automail design decades ahead of what it was at. His duty demanded that he get back. But his heart, that had slowly changed in it's desire.

He had to admit it to himself, he did not want to leave this place he had made his home. He had become too fond of the gardens that surrounded the greenhouse. The times he spent playing with Nina in her private part of the house as she romped through the flowers. The days spent learning and advancing his knowledge, and helping the people of this world to the best of his abilities. The nights spent in the company of the one woman who had changed his life. They spent hours at times discussing theoretical sciences, political concepts, even the philosophical over a dinner or coffee.

Pamela called it the "Act of God" clause, those things that we have no control over. Those events in our lives that occur and just could not be explained by science. Some people called such occurrences miracles. Edward had long ago forsaken the existence of any God or higher power watching out for him. He however couldn't discount her reasoning. There were too many times he could think of in his past that defied his understanding.

Standing before the Gate, staring the Truth dead on, had always stood out to him. The Gate decided what was equivalent, even if it took much more then what was asked of it. It was fickle, cruel, cold, and completely unforgiving. If he wanted to return to Amestris he'd have to give up everything he had in Gotham. He'd have to give up his life again. This time though he was not as willing to make that sacrifice. He knew though that when the time came he would have no choice in the matter.

--

Edward and Pamela were enjoying a night of dinner and dancing. They had decided to go out and celebrate Edward's twenty-first birthday with a night out. No work, no stalking the night, just the two of them and nothing else in the world. The restaurant had provided them with a nice selection of wine, which Pamela had insisted Edward at least have a glass of to celebrate. Edward smiled as he watched her that night, letting all his worries from the last six months just drift away as if they didn't matter.

He smiled as he opened the present she gave him, a silver pocket watch much like his state alchemist watch. The difference however was the design on the casing, an intricate and beautifully crafted curtain of ivy. Inside the cover was a picture of her, and the words _"Don't Forget 23 Dec 99"_ engraved below it. It was the date they had first met in Arkham.

The night went by too quickly for the pair, and soon they found themselves in their bedroom. The night ended as they made love in the moonlight. No thoughts of death, crime, blood, or loss entered their minds as they lost themselves to each other. There was only the two of them, their souls completing each other as the moon continued it's voyage across the sky. Edward and Pamela didn't talk about what they felt deep within them. That this may have been the last night they ever spent together. They ignored the growing sense of dread that the end was coming. That night, they only cared about each other and nothing else.

--

Dr. Pamela Isley had earned a reputation as a brilliant scientist. She had long since let go of her criminal persona. While some were worried by her in her capacity as Head of Research, she still had a habit of giving projects a last kiss instead of people, to the majority of her peers she was respected. She walked through the labs and examined several experimental Strains that were being grown to preserve several biologically diverse and endangered animal and plant species. It was her personal mission, as it always had been. Only now she was contributing as much to the solution as she was punishing those who caused it.

She was writing notes on her clip board as she heard something behind her. She didn't pay it any mind as the middle of the day was one of the more busy times for the lab. Scientists and technicians kept coming in and out of the lab. Some where going to break for lunch, others were heading to various meetings. Nothing was out of the ordinary really that day.

In his office further up in the building Edward was looking over contracts from various suppliers and some of the newer propositions for research projects. He was just reading over the latest update from the African missions when the building was rocked by an explosion. Edward immediately grabbed the phone on his desk and started trying to find out what was going on. The fire alarms went off in the building, forcing Edward to move to leave the building.

Pamela had finished evacuating the labs and was doing a final check to make sure no one was left when they came. Black suited men flooded in the lab she was in and aimed their rifles right at her. She had a hand in her pocket when they did and slowly fingered the vials she kept in there just in case. She may have given up being a criminal, but that didn't mean she had given up her preferred weapon for defense. She was just about to throw a handful of her vine seedlings when someone grabbed her by the arm and she felt a sting in her neck. She barely had a chance to see the face of her attacker before the darkness set in.

Edward had made his way to the labs on his way out of the office when the hall in front of him was flooded with armed men, all suited in black. He didn't even hesitate before snapping his right hand at them. He had modified the right arm so that instead of using flint and metal the fingers put out an electric spark. This made his fire alchemy more reliable, especially in wet conditions like rain.

Edward made short work of the weapons though there were more that took aim at him. He moved quickly and dived into one of the nearby offices for cover. Gunfire soon filled the office as he accessed Alphonse.

"Alphonse, status!"

"Fire department and police department enroute. Building has been compromised from the roof and the parking level. One employee unaccounted for from exit scans, Dr. Pamela Isley," Alphonse reported. Edward felt very cold at the moment.

"Last known location on Pamela?"

"Main labs, level five, section gamma, primary botanical research laboratory."

Edward could here the assailants try to flank him, he popped out of cover long enough to snap his fingers and flash burn several of them. He didn't know if he killed them but at the moment didn't really care. There was only so much he could do.

"Alphonse, send distress signal!"

After he said that he ran out and started attacking his enemy. He moved quickly, the heat of battle blinding him to how many actually fell. A quick snap and he managed to melt the barrels of several weapons pointed at him. He clapped his hands and caged others. He struck quickly and soon he was running to the stairwell and took each step as fast as he could. He made it to level five and raced to towards the labs.

He instinctively clapped his hands and transmuted his right arm into a two foot blade. He hadn't used that particular weapon in a very long time. This wasn't the same as going out and capturing criminals to bring to justice. This was cold, brutal survival. His blade arm slashed through the weapons of several of the armed mens weapons. He slashed at their bodies, incapacitating many of them. His blade started turning crimson with the blood of the enemies attacking him.

He left behind him a path of injured and caged attackers, all who would not be able to strike back at him. Someone had made this personal. He wasn't willing to give them a chance to sneak a knife in his back. He caught sight of the second wave of assailants and saw her. Pamela was unconscious and thrown over some larger man's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment as a woman with dark hair draped over her left eye smirked at him. She threw something on the ground at his feet, some sort of conclusive grenade that threw him against the wall.

When the smoke cleared they were gone, with Pamela.

--

The scene outside was chaos. Edward had transmuted his arm back to normal before being seen by anyone else. He answered the questions of the detective in charge as best he could and avoided any comment to the press. He drifted away from the crowd, finding a small area to calm himself. He had to remain calm if he was going to find out who it was that took Pamela.

"Incoming transmission," Alphonse notified him. Edward made sure no one was nearby. He pulled his right sleeve down and slide the hidden plate away from the display.

An older man stared back at him from the display, "Alchemist, I have not had the chance to make proper introductions since your fall into our world. Of course now is not the time for pleasantries. You have information I desire. Of course you probably are consulting the detective. I understand your desire you know who you are dealing with. The detective is more then welcome to accompany you. I have no doubt he would follow you in any case. Come to this location." the man said. The transmission ended and Alphonse reported a data file received. Edward didn't know who "The Detective" was, but he had a good idea. As soon as he was certain he was no longer needed he called Bruce and headed to the cave.

--

Edward replayed the message for Bruce on the computers main screen. He described in detail the attack on his office and the woman he saw with Pamela. Bruce brought up two pictures up on the computer, "Talia and Ra's al Ghul."

"That's them," Edward said, gritting his teeth as he looked at the photographs.

"If he's going after you he's decided you have something to help his cause," Bruce said.

"What's his idea of a just cause?" Edward asked.

"He's dedicated to remaking the world, by eliminating the majority of humanity. He's convinced the only way to create an environmentally balanced world is with the genocide of most of the human race," Bruce said.

"Obviously I wouldn't help him under any circumstances. Which is why he kidnapped Pamela. The son of a bitch is using her as leverage," Edward cursed, his eyes clenching shut at the thought of her being in danger because of him.

"The question is, what is it you know that he wants?" Bruce said.

Edward didn't know what the mad man could possibly want from him. No one in this world aside from Bruce and Pamela knew the full truth behind his life in Amestris. No one knew anything...

Except the psychiatrists at Arkham.

"Trevalian. He must have gotten to Trevalian. I told that shrink almost everything. I left out a lot, but I was pretty screwed up at the time," Edward said as he tried to remember what he might have said.

"He must want something only you would be able to give him." Bruce said.

What did Edward know that no one on this side of the Gate knew. Alchemy, the existence of another world, and one other thing...

"The Philosopher's Stone," Edward said, his voice barely registering. He looked Bruce straight in the eye, his expression full of despair. "He wants me to create a Philosopher's Stone for him."

"I've read the legends about it," Bruce said.

Edward turned away and stared at the screen, "I read this worlds legend about it as well. A stone capable of providing an elixir of life or turning lead into gold. It's a nice bedtime story, but the reality is nothing less then a nightmare. In my world, the legends and ancient texts left a lot out. They all had the same story though. That the stone was an item of incredible alchemic power. The ability to bypass equivalent exchange."

Edward fell into the chair in front of the computer. Bruce could see years seem to almost come from no where in the way he sat there. Edward continued, "My father and his first wife managed to create a stone over four hundred years ago. During the process my father was fatally wounded. Instead of let him go his first wife, Dante, used the stone to attach his soul into the body of another man. They kept living like that for four centuries, attaching their souls to new bodies when the old ones wore out. There was still a cost though. Eventually, every time they attached their souls to a new body the body would start rotting. Even though they could survive and move about, the bodies they took couldn't support what was left of their souls in the end. My father had already married my mother and they had had Alphonse and myself. He left because he didn't want us to see what he had become.

When Alphonse and I tried to find out how to make one, we didn't know what it would take. When we found out it nearly destroyed us. A Philosopher's Stone demands the sacrifices of human lives, thousands of them. There is a reason why it was called the Devil's work."

Edward stood up and moved quickly to suit up, "If he wants to create the stone, he's going to have to also have a way to get back to Amestris. I can't allow him to get there. A man willing to slaughter all of humanity in his own world would have no problem turning every city in Amestris into stones. He'd even go as far as turning every major city in my entire world into them. All so he can come back and slaughter the people of this world."

"What would he need to use the stone?" Bruce asked as he also suited up.

"He'd need a capable alchemist to make use of it. Another reason for him to keep Pamela as a hostage. He thinks he could use her to force me to help him create and use the stone," Edward said. He left unsaid that he didn't know if he could sacrifice her.

"No, he wouldn't need you for that. He's a more then capable alchemist in this world."

"It's possible, but that would mean he wouldn't hesitate to kill me and Pamela once he gets the method." Edward conceded. He pulled the the cloak tight around him as he followed Bruce's line of thought.

"It's also possible that while he'd have an understanding of what the stone is capable of, that he wouldn't be able to use it because the alchemic energy it produces is different from this world. The only reason I've ever been able to come up with for why my alchemy is even possible here is the existence of people like Superman, the magic users in the League, the abilities granted to several of the super humans. The energies available can only be used by someone who is sensitive to them. Just because he has the ability, doesn't mean he could access the energies needed for any transmutations."

"Either way we're going into a trap," Bruce said, now cloaked in the mask of the Batman.

"Not that it's going to stop us," Fullmetal said.

Both men, one in a cape and cowl the other in a red cloak, jumped into the Batwing and headed off into the night.

--

Pamela was not one to be the damsel in distress. She hated it. The only time anyone restrained her in anyway was when she got caught doing something. There were a few other times, but those were private moments with Edward and no one needed to know about that. Fact was that she hated this, waiting for someone to come get her. It made her feel useless, damned useless.

"Edward Elric you better hurry up, I'm getting bored," Pamela muttered.

"You know Edward?" a tired voice came from the corner of her cell. Pamela was startled and turned. She hadn't noticed the man there hiding in the shadows until now. She could tell he was old, maybe forty or fifty. When he slowly brought himself into the light she bit back a gasp. He looked much like Edward. So much that he could be his...

"You're his father?" Pamela asked quietly.

"Yes, my name is Hohenheim," the man said.

"Pamela Isley," she said. The name seemed to trigger some recognition in the older mans face.

"I see, Poison Ivy. I've heard about you," Hohenheim said.

"I'm not that person anymore," she said.

"No, you're not. Edward has a way of finding the good in people."

Pamela couldn't keep the small smile off her lips, "Yes he does."

Hohenheim just leaned against the wall, "I spent so much time trying to find him a way back. Now I see he has every reason to stay."

Pamela shook her head, "No, we just have the moment. If he leaves then we have our time together and that's that."

Hohenheim smiled at her, "I know my son. Even if he did leave this world, he will carry you with him for the rest of his days. You will carry him as well."

Pamela didn't want to admit it, didn't want to let that particular truth sound louder in her head then it was. She didn't want Edward to go back to his home anymore. She wanted him to have his home here, with her. But she knew better. He would be needed on his world if he got back. She also knew that she couldn't join him in that world.

She didn't want to admit the truth to herself, that over the last for years she had given her heart to Edward Elric, because when he had to leave her it would make it too much to bare. She knew he would leave her behind if the Gate opened to Amestris, he wouldn't have a choice.

–

They knew it was a trap, it couldn't be anything but when dealing with Ra's al Ghul. Batman had warned Fullmetal about the madman's intellect and strengths. Ra's wasn't someone to be trifled with, or underestimated. Flying through the night, Fullmetal started thinking about everything that could happen. All the possibilities ran through his head, from a complete and total disaster, to carrying Pamela home the whole way. He knew things wouldn't turn out for the best. They never turned out well for him. Maybe for the world at large, but the storm he has been feeling in his bones was upon him now.

They had worked out a plan of action. They knew it was a trap for Fullmetal. Ra's was much too smart to let himself be taken off guard. He'd be ready for anything Fullmetal could throw at him. His security would be tight, and he'd expect them to try to sneak in. So Fullmetal had decided to just walk right in the front door. He wasn't one for stealth usually anyways.

Batman would drop him off right in front of the location, in plain view of every one watching. It seemed the best option, Batman would then go and act on his own. Fullmetal made it clear he didn't want to know what the Dark Knight would do. He felt it better to let Batman act on his own accord. Alphonse would keep an open channel to Batman's radio link.

"What are you going to do if he does manage to open a gateway to your world?" Batman asked.

"Only thing I can do. Go through, seal it on the other side. You'll have to close it here," Fullmetal said.

"What about Pamela?" Batman asked.

"Someone has to close the gate on the other side. It'll be better if it's me," Fullmetal said, not acknowledging the question. Batman could tell what the younger man was thinking, and knew he was avoiding it.

A moment of silence passed between the two, "I'll make sure she's safe," Batman said.

All Fullmetal said to that was, "Thank you." He pulled out the pocket watch she had given him and opened it. He ran his fingers across the picture, hoping she could feel his heart through it.

--

The cell door opened and a few guards came in. Ra's was standing outside as the guards pulled Hohenheim and Pamela out. The guards dragged Hohenheim away down the hall, while Ra's walked up to and looked Pamela right in the eyes, "The Detective and your Alchemist are on their way. We'll see how much you actually mean to him."

Pamela didn't like the sound of that as the guards forced her to follow him. Ra's spoke, "I hope you will considering convincing him to join us. Our goals are not dissimilar Dr. Isley."

"I've heard of your idea of a cause. Fullmetal would never be convinced by anything to help you."

Ra's looked over his shoulder at her, "Are you so certain he would sacrifice you over the lives of people he doesn't know?"

Pamela swallowed hard, "The man I know wouldn't become a monster for any reason."

"A little melodramatic, Doctor. The Alchemist may respect the Detective's abilities and morality, but he is in no way his equal," Ra's said. Pamela was offended this man would write Edward off so readily.

"You're right, he's not. Batman wouldn't try to kill you under any circumstances. Push him far enough, and Edward will bathe this place in blood," Pamela said. It hurt her to know what it would do to the young man to do so, but he would do it if it needed to be done. With the fate of a world at stake, he'd take on the responsibility and the nightmares. All she would be able to do would be to hold him as he fought them back.

Ra's laughed, "The Alchemist is many things but I doubt he is able to do what is necessary."

Talia walked up to her father, "The Batwing has been spotted. They aren't making any attempts to allude our lookouts."

"So they storm the gates straight on instead of attempt to sneak in, commendable if fool hearty. I'd expect more from the Detective," Ra's said.

They continued on down the hallway unimpeded. "Prepare the chamber for the sacrifice. Soon we shall have all the power we need to remake this world."

--

No one could have missed the down draft from the Batwing as it hovered over the ground. Fullmetal jumped out, not even bothering to put up his hood. He walked directly to the door, the Batwing flying off in to the night somewhere else. Fullmetal just walked up to the door, guards flooding out to meet him. He didn't stop, didn't hesitate, just clapped his hands and transmuted his right arm into the familiar blade. He pulled his snapped his fingers quickly, and sent fire ahead of him. The explosive force was enough to throw every guard to the ground.

As he worked his way through he disarmed and caged every guard he came about. Several tried to take him on hand to hand, only to be struck hard and fast with his left leg and right arm. The blade on his right arm cutting through the enemies weapons. He intended to cause as much chaos as possible. If this al Ghul bastard hadn't already known he was there, he had to by now.

He stormed through the facility, not letting anyone stop him until he was standing in the middle of a large room. There were no more guards in this room. It was dark, but as he looked around the room he saw the circle on the ground. He took a good look at it, examining every rune, every shape, every calculation. This circle was defiantly his brand of alchemy.

"A Gate transmutation circle," Fullmetal said to himself.

A dark laugh filled the room, "Still just a puppet, hey pipsqueak?"

Fullmetal looked up. Far above him, tied to the rafters was a serpent the likes of which he had never seen. Runs and transmutation lines were inked all long the beasts hide. In it's mouth was a very recognizable figure to Fullmetal.

"Father?!"

The beast laughed, "This is better then anything I could possibly have hoped. I get to kill this bastard, and I die knowing you'll be the one to destroy everything you ever loved."

Fullmetal knew that voice, "Envy."

"Long time no see, pipsqueak."

"Not long enough."

The doors to the level above burst open, guards flooded the floor above him, all aiming weapons right at his position. Fullmetal was outnumbered, out gunned, and out maneuvered. Exactly what he was expecting. On the balcony directly in front of him three people stepped out, Ra's al Ghul, Talia, and Pamela. He looked Pamela straight in the eyes, taking what he could feel would be one of the last times he'd see them.

"I see you decided to face me on your own, Alchemist. Strange, I would have thought the Detective would have joined you," Ra's said.

"Well he wanted to, but I figured I'd need a designated driver," Fullmetal said.

"I see, so he will not be witness to this family reunion. Such a pity," Ra's said. He left Pamela with Talia keeping her in a tight grip as he walked the perimeter of the balcony.

"As you can see, I have your father and your half-brother above us ready to be used as the catalyst. With their sacrifice we shall open the gateway to your world," Ra's said.

"Well, Amestris is nice this time of year. Plenty of shopping in Central. The lemon fields of Xenotine should be in full bloom ready for harvest. No, you strike me as someone who'd enjoy the peaceful tranquility of a boat ride through Aqrouya," Fullmetal said, walking toe to heel around the circle to keep Ra's in front of him.

"Perhaps. I, however, have something much more important planned for your world," Ra's said.

"You want a Philosopher's Stone."

Ra's smirked, "I see you are not completely incapable of deduction."

"It was simple really. Even if you could get how to make one from the old man, you'd still need someone to do it. And since it seems you don't plan to keep him around for much longer that really only leaves you one option. Unless of course an Alchemist of your skill would be able to pull it off yourself," Fullmetal said, he kept his voice cheerful and sarcastic.

"The Detective had prepared you well. Yes, I am an alchemist of this world. I can not however make use of the energies of the stone from your world," Ra's said.

Fullmetal smirked, "So you need me to perform any alchemy you need. Creating the stone is easy, you just have to draw the circle and shed blood on it. Using the stone however is much more tricky."

"Correct. Your world will be cleansed of the corruption and decadence of man. And by extension the power gained by this act will be used to cleanse this world," Ra's said.

Fullmetal inclined his head towards Ra's, "I have to hand it to you, it's all pretty straight forward. Even this transmutation circle seems to be completely perfect. What makes you think though that for a moment I'd ever help you in such an atrocity?"

"The good doctor's life for one," Ra's said.

Fullmetal felt the muscles in his body tense, "And I'm supposed to just believe you'll let her go if I give you what you want. Somehow, I very much doubt I could trust your good word."

"I am many things, but dishonorable is not one of them," Ra's said, his voice even.

Fullmetal laughed at him, "Sorry, but someone willing to slaughter an entire world so he can come back and do the same to his own isn't someone who has any honor."

"You judge me harshly, Alchemist. This world is full of corruption, humanity has no respect for the world around them. You did not judge Dr. Isley as absolutely when you first met her. Our aims are the same as hers," Ra's said.

Fullmetal had walked all the way around the circle now. Pamela was right in his line of sight again. He looked her straight in the eyes and said, "She's killed people, I know. She attacked people who raped the earth out of greed. I know these things. But her heart is a good one. She took her knowledge and turned her legacy from one of death to one of hope. I look at her, and I don't see the killer she was. I see the healer she is."

Ra's smirked at him, "How very sentimental. It is however irrelevant. You will cooperate."

Fullmetal just laughed at him, "You must be going senile. All those centuries listing to yourself talk must have gotten to you. I am not going to do any such thing."

Talia proceed to hold a saber to Pamela's neck. Pamela didn't flinch, but her eyes were filled with fear. Not fear for her own life, but for Edward's soul, "Enough of this. Envy, carry out your task. Begin the sacrifice."

Envy laughed as he bit down, killing Hohenheim and spilling his blood over the circle. With a burst of alchemic energy, the chamber was filled now with the golden light of the gate being opened. That horrifying golden light flooded the room, and deep within Fullmetal could swear he saw those black arms and eyes looking out into this world.

"So you opened the Gate. You still don't have a way to create the stone," Fullmetal said. He was already trying to figure out a way to close the gate.

"I already have that knowledge. Your father buried it deep in his mind, but I was able to pull it out with the help of a powerful psychic. I already have the appropriate transmutation circles required to produce the stone. You however will serve me by using the stone," Ra's said.

The floor began opening up under Fullmetal. He moved back quickly so he didn't fall into the launch bay that was opening. The craft that lifted to the second level opened a hatch to allow Ra's inside the craft. Just as Talia moved to force Pamela to follow, Edward pulled up his right wrist and spoke into it, "Batman, now!"

The walls behind Edward exploded. The Batwing was hovering right in front of the hole it had just blown in the chamber, and landing. Batman jumped out, throwing batarangs at Ra's soldiers. Edward began snapping his fingers, sending fire at them. Ra's ran into his craft followed by a group of guards. In the confusion Talia lost her grip on Pamela, giving the other woman a chance to strike.

Pamela struck fast, dodging the saber Talia swung at her. Pamela somersaulted backwards as Talia tried to slash at her. Pamela kept looking for an opening in he other womans defense. The saber made getting close enough for a good kick or punch almost impossible. She ducked under a slash to her neck and found her opening, grabbing Talia's wrist in her right hand slamming her left hand into the other womans elbow. The saber went clattering to the ground as Pamela started striking back, slamming a strong kick into Talia's chin.

"This is for that cheap shot back at the lab," she screamed as she landed a right cross against Talia's jaw.

"This is for using me against Edward," a strong punch to Talia's middle, forcing the other woman to her knees.

"And this is for thinking I was ever like you and your cursed father," Pamela said, her voice low and deadly as she slammed her right fist downwards into Talia's face, knocking her out. Pamela gave Talia's body one more quick kick to make sure she was down and started making her way to the lower level.

Fullmetal and Batman had finished off the guards, but not before two more ships had made their way through the Gate. Batman had gone back to the Batwing and was getting ready to move it into position so they could follow after them. Just as Fullmetal was looking upwards, Pamela came through the door way and looked at him. There he was, her scarlet clad avenger. She ran up to him and embraced him tightly. Edward held onto her, afraid to let go. They looked into each other's eyes, then upwards towards the Gate.

They looked up at the gateway to Edward's world. They didn't want to look away, to see in each others eyes what they knew was true. Pamela slide her hand into Edward's and squeezed it. He looked into her eyes, all the pain of the moment reflected in them, "I have to go after him."

Pamela's eye's filled with tears as she said, "I know."

"You could come with me," Edward said.

"No, my place is here. Someone has to stay and continue our work," she said.

His left hand ran along her cheek, her eyes closed as she turned into his touch. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Edward pulled her into a soft kiss. They poured everything they felt for each other into that last kiss. When they finally broke away, Edward pulled her into his arms. Pamela's eyes closed tightly as the tears she had been holding back finally fell.

Edward whispered into her ears, "I'm going to miss you."

"Just remember what I said. Grow your roots deep so you'll never be uprooted again," Pamela replied. She didn't trust her voice to say much more.

"My roots are deepest here, with you," Edward replied. It was the closest either of them had ever come to confessing how they felt. They didn't say anymore, and as painful as it was Edward let Pamela go. His left hand holding hers until the last possible moment. He turned and joined Batman in the jet, his eyes finding hers once more as the powerful craft blasted upwards.

In the jet Batman said, "You don't have to stay there."

Edward's reply was, "You know that's not true."

To be continued...

Author's notes: This was a difficult chapter to write. Fact is that I had to come up with a convincing reason and setup for how and why the gate was opened on Gotham's side. Ra's made the perfect antagonist for this final battle. He's a capable Alchemist, and would defiantly lust for the power of something like the Philosopher's Stone.

The start of the fic is set to Meredith Brooks _"What Would Happen"_ off the album "Blurring the Edges." The attack on Resembool and the fight at Ra's strong hold are set to Kuniaki Haijima's _"Counter Clockwise" _from the album "Macross Zero OST 1". The parting is set to Seether's _"Broken" _from the album Disclaimer. Recommend the version featuring Amy Lee of Evanesence.

Thanks to Ryan Slicer, datdude, and Sailor Lilith-chan.


	6. Bittersweet Homecoming

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Chapter 6: Bittersweet Homecoming

A Fullmetal Alchemist/Batman Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

The space between worlds was a harsh environment, nothing but energy and black figures. Batman had never seen anything like this as the Batwing chased after Ra's ships. Black figures seemed to come out of no where, trying to grab hold of anything that they could. Batman dodged them as best he could as he asked, "What are those things?"

"For lack of a better term? Gatekeepers," Fullmetal said.

The Batwing was able to over take Ra's craft with ease and avoided the Gatekeepers. Neither man looked back at the ships now following them. In a flash of light they were throw, and looking at the stone ceiling of the underground city. Batman's quick reflexes were the only thing to keep them from crashing into solid stone.

"We're in the underground city. If we can stop him here we can keep the damage to a minimum," Fullmetal said.

They pulled around as fast as possible as the first of Ra's ships exited the Gate. Most of the hull was covered in black material neither man had seen before. Edward had a feeling though as to what it was. The gatekeepers had tried to merge with the ship. They pealed off as a transmutation circle materialized out of no where and blasted it's way to the surface.

"So much for stopping them here," Batman said as the other ships came through. All of them headed for the surface. Had either man looked down they would have seen three people running to follow up one of the many ways out. The Batwing followed the lead ship.

On the bridge of Ra's vessel he looked at the black material that had covered his body. The voices were calling to him, drawing him to greater powers. He looked to one of his officers, also covered in the black and said, "Begin landing our troops. Gather the people here so we may make short work of this."

Armored, barely alive troops were released into the middle of Central. The slaughter and capture of everyone they could get their hands on caused blood to run in the gutters of the streets. Military and police flooded the streets fighting back. The blue uniforms of the Amestris Military stood in contrast to the black skin tight armor of the invaders. Soldiers fought with everything they could as the main vessel started bombarding the city.

"Soon now, we shall have this worlds power," Ra's said. He was drunk from the influence of the gatekeepers attached to him and couldn't help the crazed laugh that came from his lips. A black shadow flew straight across their forward view port. The shadow launched two air-to-air missiles at one of the ships, slamming right into the engines. With one vessel crashing to the ground Ra's could only growl, "So the Detective and the Alchemist dare stand in my way again."

Batman barely dodge the burst of destructive alchemic energy aimed at the Batwing and pulled up hard. They got a better view of the city as Ra's continued his efforts to etch the proper transmutation circle into Central. Edward took a good long look for a moment, "Good news is he's a long way from finishing the circle."

"And the bad news?"

"He's destroying Central one brick at a time doing it."

--

The fighting at the command center was intense. The black clad troops just kept coming as Amestrian soldiers fought. Havoc and Breda aimed as well as they could and fired. Hawkeye never missed, getting each soldier in the head. Several other officers and enlisted men kept the invaders back as best they could. Even the efforts of former Major Armstrong, while effective had not deterred the advancing troops.

They were all stunned when a man none of them had expected to see in the fight appeared. His left eye was gone, covered by a large patch. Corporal Mustang just looked at them with his right eye and snapped his fingers, obliterating the entire squad advancing on their position. The men who had once served under the now enlisted Flame Alchemist feel back to the old order, following his orders without questions as they attempted to fight back the invaders.

The explosion from his attack had been seen from the Batwing as it flew over the Command Center. Fullmetal couldn't help but smirk at the display, "Looks like Bastard General Useless has joined the party."

Batman merely grunted. Fullmetal looked over the panels in front of him, "Can we make contact with the forces on the ground?"

"Yes, you just need to scan for the right frequency," Batman said. He instructed Fullmetal on what to do. The familiar voice of Cain Fuery came over the radio. It sounded like he was calling for a tank unit.

Edward didn't hesitate to barge in on the conversation, "Fullmetal to Central Command, do you read."

Cain was shocked to hear that voice come at him over the radio. It only took him a moment to scream for Mustang to get to the radio. "This is command Fullmetal, we read you! Where the hell have you been Ed?!"

"Good to hear your voice Fuery. I'm in the smaller craft flying around these things and taking shots as we can."

Mustang came up running and practically snatched the handset from Fuery, "Way to bring your trouble home with you Fullmetal, real nice."

Fullmetal smirked, "Sorry, if I had known I'd be bringing friends I would have called ahead."

"So what are they after?" Mustang asked, his voice serious now.

Fullmetal's voice was just as serious, "They're trying to use Central and everyone in it to make a Philosopher's Stone."

That was enough to get the point across. Mustang started shouting orders to get all personnel to assist in evacuating the city. Fullmetal's voice came back over the radio, "We're going to try to stop them, but just in case get as many people as you can away from Central. The fewer people within range of the circle if it's activated, the less likely they'll get the stone. You might also want to warn the other major cities of what might be coming. They won't just stop at Central."

"Understood Fullmetal. Once you get on the ground you are going to have to explain this all to me," Mustang said.

"Trust me, it's a long story. Fullmetal out."

"We need to get onto Ra's ship," Batman said. Fullmetal began consulting Alphonse.

"Alphonse did a scan, there's a hatch on the upper side we can get in," Fullmetal reported.

"Then we go in through there. I can tie the Batwing into their guidance system so we can make a quick exit if we need to," Batman said, launching two more missiles at the last of Ra's Ships, leaving only his main vessel left.

"Alright, lets finish this," Fullmetal replied. He transmuted the fingers in his right hand to claws as Batman activated the climbing claws in his gloves.

They flew the jet skillfully over Ra's ship, allowing the pair to jump out onto the outer hull. When they found the hatch it was no surprise to find it secure. Batman took out a demolition charge and backed away as fast as he could on the hull. Both Batman and Fullmetal pulled their cape and cloak up to protect them from the smoke as the charge detonated. Once inside it was nothing but hand to hand fighting. Batman threw batarang after batarang at the on coming horde of guards. All of them were less mobile due to the gatekeepers fused with their bodies. Fullmetal transmuted as much of the deck plating as he could, caging a majority of them from following the duo. They fought their way through, they were just getting to the bridge when another group of guards came at them.

"You go after Ra's, I'll handle them," Batman ordered.

Fullmetal entered the bridge, finding only Ra's al Ghul standing there. He seemed to have been the least affected by the gatekeepers as he spoke, "This world is much like I remember ours at the turn of the twentieth century."

"Not much really different. People live the same, die the same," Fullmetal said.

"They will die to bring forth a new era," Ra's said.

He was answered by the sound of hands clamping together. Fullmetal transmuted his right arm into the blade, and stood there. Ra's struck quickly, the black skin of the gatekeeper wrapping itself around Fullmetal's right arm like a whip.

"I have centuries of experience with the blade boy. You can not stand against me," Ra's said.

"Maybe, maybe not."

"You've seen the corruption of both worlds. Surely you understand what it is I am attempting to achieve. A world where no one suffered and the balance of Earth is restored," Ra's said.

Fullmetal scoffed at him, "Why is it every time I meet a mad man they try to tell me how much alike we are. Unlike you, the only person I ever asked to make any sort of sacrifice was myself. You are willing to sacrifice everyone but," Fullmetal said, the disgust in his voice was apparent.

"What sacrifice could you have made to come here at this time then Alchemist? What is the equivalent exchange for you?" Ra's taunted.

Fullmetal didn't even bother with an answer as he slashed at the whip like flesh of the gatekeeper holding him. He attack Ra's head on, dodging as the older man swung what looked like a blade made of that same flesh. Fullmetal dodged it easily enough, slamming a kick to Ra's back as he flipped over him.

Ra's was about to slash at Fullmetal when a strong bolo wrapped around his midsection. He turned and saw Batman standing there, "I see you decided to join us Detective."

Ra's flexed his muscles, the gatekeepers merged with his body increasing his strength as he snapped the cable holding him. Ra's threw a punch at Batman, while Fullmetal blocked a strike from his blade arm. Both heroes attacked, using their skills and strengths to try to subdue the Demons Head. Ra's merely laughed as he grabbed Batman's wrist and threw him bodily at Fullmetal.

He looked out the port and smirked at the two, "The circle is nearly complete. Soon neither of you will be able to stop the transmutation of this city. We will then move on to produce as many stones as possible from the components this world provides. You have one chance to join me Detective, Alchemist."

"This is my world, Ra's. I'll fight you to my dying breath, but I am not dying today," Fullmetal gritted out through his teeth.

"You already know my answer," Batman said.

"A pity, you would make a worthy heir to my legacy Detective. However I will not hesitate to remove you from my sight," Ra's said and charged towards the two. Batman slammed his fist into Ra's middle and jumped away while Fullmetal clamped his hands and transmuted the deck plates, wrapping them around Ra's. The steel and titanium of the deck was more then strong enough to restrain him. Fullmetal and Batman raced to the console to shut off the ships weapon systems.

When they finally did Fullmetal took a look at how close they had cut it. He wished he hadn't, because the circle had only been a moment from completion. Batman made sure to disable the weapons so that they wouldn't be usable again. As they passed Ra's on their way out Fullmetal said, "Just because you think your world is corrupt and worthy of destruction doesn't mean there aren't good people fighting against it. They are the ones who will bring about your precious utopia. Not through slaughter, but by moving forward and guiding humanity. Men like you can't do that. You aren't willing to sacrifice anything that matters to you."

They didn't wait for a response and left Ra's on the bridge as he struggled and screamed impotently against his metal encasement. Silence was all that followed them as they approached and exterior hatch. Batman stopped Fullmetal and said, "You can still come back with me."

Fullmetal appreciated the attempt at making it seem like he had a choice in the matter, "You've seen the same theories I have. It's only a matter of time before someone is able to open a gateway to my world using your science. I have an obligation to prepare my world for that day."

Batman nodded, his respect for the young man genuine. He knew what was being given up by Edward Elric for the safety of an entire world. He couldn't have been more proud of the young man had he been one of his own. In a way, over the last four years he had become one of them. He took a moment to help Edward strap on a parachute and explained how to use it.

Before Edward opened the hatch he said, "Oswald has letters, addressed to you and Robin. Make sure Robin reads his."

"I will," Batman said.

"It's funny. When I first woke up in Gotham I couldn't think of anything but getting back to Amestris. Now that I'm here, I don't want to make the sacrifice I know I have to. I'm back in the world I was born in, but it's not home anymore. Home is a greenhouse on what used to be a toxic waste dump, with a woman who is as beautiful as the flowers she grows," Edward said.

Batman had no reply to that except to say, "Home is a place you carry with you. No matter where you are, as long as you carry that part with you you'll always be home."

Edward looked back at Batman over his shoulder and gave him a sad smile. The silent tears streaking his cheeks showing his sadness. Edward said, "Thank you."

"It's been an honor," Batman said.

Fullmetal replied, "The honor was all mine."

He hit the hatch release, revealing open sky and Central below him. He jumped, counted to ten, and pulled the rip cord. His eyes never left Ra's ship or the Batwing as they flew off towards the Gate and back to Gotham.

--

When Batman finally got Ra's ship and the Batwing back through the gate he stepped out. This side of the gate seemed to be deadly to the gatekeepers. Every bit of the ugly black material evaporated back into the Gate. When he looked at Ra's he saw that the gatekeepers had left his body. The Demons Head was unconscious, held upright by his prison of steel. Batman just left him there for someone else to deal with.

When he got out of the craft, he saw the Batwing hovering over him, the onboard computer waiting for instructions. He looked around him, and curled up against one of the walls sat Pamela Isley. He walked up to her slowly, her head down and pressed into her knees. When she looked up at the Dark Knight he could see her eyes were red, the tears long since shed for her lost alchemist.

"Take me home," she said in a quiet, heartbroken voice. Batman lifted her up and carried her to the Batwing. He threw four explosive batarangs out at the four corners of the gateway and detonated them. The Gate closed as the explosions disrupted the energies holding it open. The trip back to Gotham was in almost perfect silence.

--

His decent had been watched by many, including every one of Mustang's old staff. He was surrounded by old comrades, enlisted men and officers, civilians. The first to reach him was Corporal Mustang. Edward noticed this and immediately asked, "What the hell happened while I was gone?"

"Too much to go into on a busy street, sir," Mustang said, throwing out the sir as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Edward was stunned speechless. He figured it was appropriate, he did out rank Mustang now. Mustang and the rest of his group immediately saluted Edward. Those who knew him were shocked when he threw up a perfect one of his own.

"BROTHER!" he heard shouted from the crowd. Edward turned and saw what was possibly the greatest thing his eyes had beheld. Running up to him were Winry and Al, his brother now made flesh again. That sacrifice four years ago it seemed had been vindicated by this one moment. Al ran up and grabbed Edward in a tight bone crushing hug.

Winry stood back and let the brother's reunite for a moment. She knew Edward better though then most. While the well wishes and welcomes were plentiful, she could see that same look in his eyes he would get when he didn't want anyone to worry. She could tell that coming back home had been harder then he would ever let any of them know.

Because he didn't want them to worry about him. He didn't want them to think he was sad to be back in their presence. He wouldn't show he was hurting to anyone, or even let on that he was even bothered. He'd grit his teeth, carry on, and you wouldn't know anything was wrong. Unless you knew what to look for in his golden eyes. He would shoulder that pain, that hurt, because to him he was the only one who could take it.

She sighed as she pulled him into a hug, tears of joy falling from her eyes at being reunited with him. It was that hug that told her all she needed. He had left behind something so important he'd never get it back. A part of his soul had been left in that other world. All she could do was show him the support she always had and move on with her life while helping him move on with his.

They had been raised as brother and sister, and right now Winry Rockbell knew that Edward needed a sister more then anything.

--

They all marched directly to Central Command, Edward in front as he was the highest ranking of them all. They had an entourage of many soldiers and civilians as they approached the General in charge. Edward recognized the old man commanding things. He should, he had saved the man's life and family from terrorists before he was a State Alchemist.

"General Hakuro, sir," Edward said.

"Welcome back, Colonel Elric," he said.

Edward was understandably confused when he said that. Hakuro smirked, "After your disappearance Mustang put in the paper work to promote you two grades. Then he went and decided life on the northern border as a corporal was more suited for him."

Edward lifted an eyebrow and turned to look at Roy, "That had better be a really good story, Corporal."

Lieutenant Hawkeye answered, "It depends on who tells the story, sir."

"Well, I can already tell you'll be in debriefings for a very long time Colonel. Before that I'm giving you command over Mustang's old office, including his subordinates. Mustang," Hakuro said before tossing a silver watch at the man. Hakuro smirked, "Consider yourself back as a State Alchemist, Major. You're assigned to Colonel Elric's command."

If the General thought it was an ironic touch he didn't let on. Edward did have one request, "Sir, I'd like it if you would assign Lt. Sciezska to my staff as well. I have a lot of information that needs to be assimilated for distribution and she is the best there is for such a task."

"Granted, I'll leave the rest of this to you. You probably know more about what needs to be done now then any of us," General Hakuro said. Edward saluted the General and watched as he turned away. Before the General left he turned and said, "Welcome home, Fullmetal."

Edward said thank you, but he knew it wasn't true. He had left his home again, but he wouldn't show it. He couldn't afford to. He turned to his new staff. Mustang had a smirk on his face as if he had known this would happen. Everyone else was looking at him expectantly. He didn't disappoint, "Warrant Officer Falman, take a squad and clear out the downed airships. Orders are to shoot anyone they see with that black material on them. I know it sounds harsh but those men are already dead, you'll be doing them a favor."

Falman saluted and went to carry out his orders. Edward turned to Fuery and said, "Master Sergeant Fuery, contact emergency services and coordinate recovery efforts. We'll need as many doctors as we can get in Central as fast as possible. Pull them in from where ever you have to, and get all able bodied men to assist with rescue operations."

Fuery was off and running as he turned to Havoc and Breda, "Lieutenants Havoc and Breda, I need a full strategic and tactical briefing on our current situation. Don't leave anything out, I need to get up to speed. Leave it on my desk... where ever that happens to be."

"Sure thing, boss," Havoc said.

"Lieutenant's Hawkeye and Sciezska, I want you two to get everything in order. Right now if anything needs to be signed, authorized, or brought to me I want you two on it. And find out where our office is."

Both also saluted and went about their orders. Edward turned to Mustang and Armstrong, "The rest of us are heading to the Underground City. We have to seal the Gate on this side."

Those who knew Edward Elric looked upon the newly minted Colonel, giving orders according to the strengths he knew the people around him possessed as if it came naturally to him. Mustang couldn't keep the smirk off his face at seeing the young man he had grown into. He'd get the full story later, he expected it to be much more interesting then his own. He could also see something else in the kids eyes. That look of holding back how he really felt when something important needed to be done. He knew it well, he still got that look himself when he thought about the past.

The four alchemists headed down and sealed the gateway between worlds, for all intents and purposes permanently. No one was looking at Edward when the Gate closed. No one saw his heart break completely with the finality of the Gate's passing.

--

The day was long and hard as recovery operations continued in full swing. It was nearly midnight before everyone reconvened in Edward's new office. It took some getting used to being on that side of the desk, but it wasn't like he wasn't used to being in charge of something bigger then him. Edward pulled his red cloak off and his black jack, leaving himself in just the black muscle shirt he wore when fighting. Winry gasped as she took a look at his arm.

"WHAT IS THAT?!"

Edward was startled by the outburst, as was everyone else. Winry was pointing at his arm like it was aiming a gun at her. Edward shook his head and said, "It's my arm."

"I know that! That is not the automail I made for you. That is not like any automail I've ever seen," Winry said, almost drooling at the sight.

Edward sighed, "This is one of the many things I have to go over in the debriefings, as well as the information stored on this and the leg."

Al asked, "Stored information?"

Edward nodded, "There are a lot of things that are more advanced on the other side of the Gate where I was. But even then, they still hadn't been able to connect living nerves to prosthetics. You should be proud Winry, your designs were the basis for the first automail type prosthetics in that world."

Winry blushed at the idea. "Of course I had to give credit to others and hide where the nerve interfaces really came from to pull it off. Your double and her husband were more then capable however in reverse engineering my ports for that world."

"You gave the people of that world that attacked us automail?" Mustang asked.

Edward shook his head, "The man who engineered today's nightmare wanted the stone so he could do the same thing to his own world."

That statement dropped an uncomfortable silence on the room. Edward fell into his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. He sighed as he sat there, exhausted from everything. He just wanted to find a decent spot to lay down and sleep for days. Before anyone said anything else Edward said, "Winry, I'll get you a print out of the schematics as soon as I can. I know you want to take these apart but I need them in one piece for the time being. I assume you brought me some spares?"

Winry nodded, patting the case she had with her. She opened it up, displaying her most advanced work to date. Compared to his current arm and leg they seemed archaic. Ironic considering it was one of her advanced prototypes. Sciezska just looked at the heavy prosthetics and cried out, "You've been carrying those this whole time?"

Edward pulled the display panel down on his right arm and said, "Alphonse, begin arm and leg disconnection cycle."

Everyone was shocked when it spoke back in Al's voice, "Confirmed. Arm and leg shutting down."

"Convert over to data terminal format upon disconnect from ports."

"Acknowledged."

No one spoke for a moment as Edward let Winry remove the arm and leg form him. She could tell they were much better then anything she had ever seen. They felt much lighter, but the metal didn't seem any weaker then what she was replacing them with. To her they were truly works of pure art. Still, the disembodied voice of Al coming from the arm was very nerve racking.

Al was the first to find his voice as Winry worked, "What was that?"

Edward smiled, "That was Alphonse. He's an artificial intelligence, spirit in a can. Only he was created as an assistant. Like I said, that world was much more advanced in many ways then ours. The best way to describe him is to think about when you were just a soul bound to a suit of armor."

Al seemed a little nervous at the mention of that, "I don't remember anything from those four years. All I have are stories from everyone else."

Edward looked at him bewildered for a moment, "I thought you looked younger then you should."

Mustang took it upon himself to answer the unasked question, "We found him and Rose at a hospital just outside of Central after you disappeared. The last thing he remembered was the night you two tried to bring your mother back, and was all of ten years old. "

Edward just nodded, then grit his teeth at the painful reconnection of the nerves to the automail. He had forgotten how much it hurt, but didn't cry out. "One of the first things I'm going to have to do is make sure all the prosthetic information is distributed to every mechanic out there. We really did a lot of good work making the process much less painful."

Winry was finished with the reattachment of both limbs and stepped back to her case. She rearranged things as Edward grabbed the leg he had been wearing and opened up several compartments. He straightened out the arm and pressed a button on it. A transparent screen slide into place as a small keyboard ejected out the underside. Inside the leg were what looked to be two long electrical cables. One of which he connected to the ports of both the arm and the leg. The other he hooked into a port in the legs ankle and plugged into one of the wall sockets.

The little voice came back, "Voltage accepted, adjusting power supply for local current."

Edward nodded as he opened another compartment and pulled out a strange black block of some kind. He plugged that into another hidden port on the leg and extended some rails outwards. He looked at Hawkeye and asked, "Could you get me some plain white typewriter paper?"

She nodded and headed off to get it. When she came back Edward thanked her for the stack of paper and slide some into the other object he had pulled out. He spoke to Alphonse, "Full schematic print out of all prototype designs for the advanced prosthetic limbs from last update."

The printer was another thing that startled everyone as exact technical diagrams and blueprints appeared on the page. Edward just leaned back in his chair moving his arm and leg around to get used to them. He had forgotten how heavy automail could be. Just another thing he'd have to take care of. He was going to have a hard time adjusting to being back in Amestris. He knew he couldn't bring himself to call it home anymore.

"We've all had a long day. I want everyone to go and get some sleep. We're going to have a hell of a lot of work ahead of us for the foreseeable future. Best to get all the rest you can," Edward said. Those with homes already headed out. Sciezska offered Winry her spare bunk, which she accepted. Edward turned to the window and stared out at the city. Fires were still burning in some places. He saw Al's reflection in the glass as his brother walked up beside him, "Brother, what about you?"

"Where are you staying?"

Al hadn't expected him to ask that, "I don't know yet."

"Hawkeye, see if you can get me, Al, and Mustang a place to sleep for the night? Thank you."

"I have more then enough room at my apartment for two people. If you don't mind Colonel."

Edward nodded, "Al and Mustang can have that then. I'll take the couch here in the office. We'll figure out more in the morning."

Al was about to protest when Mustang placed his hand on the young boy's shoulder. He shook his head, indicating this wasn't the time to push Edward on anything. He pushed Al to follow Hawkeye, indicating he would follow shortly. Edward heard the door to the office close and pulled out his pocket watch, the one Pamela had given him. He knew Mustang was still there, but right then he felt the older man was the only one he could really talk to. Al might feel betrayed later, but he needed the voice of experience not brotherly concern.

He opened the watch and looked at the smiling picture of Dr. Pamela Isley. His left thumb sliding along the images cheek. The room was silent for a moment before Edward spoke, "I didn't want to come back."

Mustang was looking at the picture in the watch, "You had to choose between duty and happiness. It's a hard choice, especially when you know you have no choice at all."

"Does it ever get easier? Losing the things you love most?"

"No, and it shouldn't. The important things are never easy to let go of. Hell, they're damned near impossible," Roy said. He placed a hand on Edward's left shoulder and squeezed. Edward appreciated the older officer's sentiment.

"Maybe I'll tell you about her sometime," Edward said.

"I'd like that, Fullmetal. You can tell me over a drink," Mustang said, and left Edward to mourn his loss. The older officer knew he needed that more then a warm bed that night. The moment the office door closed, the tears and pain he had been holding in the whole day finally were let out.

--

It was raining in the cemetery, perfectly reflecting the misery Pamela Isley was in. Batman and Commissioner Gordon had orchestrated a perfect cover up for Edward's disappearance. Industrial espionage, with him and Pamela as the targets. The story had it that Edward had taken a bullet when he tried to protect her. She didn't think it was really that far from the truth.

They had arranged for a closed casket, Barbara Gordon sat next to her holding her hand as the priest finished reading. She stood when the empty casket, only filled with dead vines to feel like Edward's body was lowered into the grave. When it was at the bottom, she let the rose she had been holding go, following the grave into the earth. She barely registered the condolences of the people who she worked with, who had known him. Even if they never broadcast it, everyone at the company had figured there was more between the two then they let on. She just let Bruce and Barbara steer her through the crowd. Jim had helped by keeping the public away from the very private ceremony.

Oswald Cobblepot walked up to her, one of the very few people who knew the truth. That didn't stop the sympathetic look he gave her. He had known Edward, known what she meant to him. He spoke softly, "Edward gave me certain items to hold onto in the event of his passing from this world," he refused to say death.

He took Pamela's hand and place in it something cold, smooth, with a chain hanging from it. For a moment she thought it was the watch she had given him. When she looked down she saw it wasn't. It was the pocket watch he had said was standard issue to all State Alchemists. She opened it up, and instead of the crudely etched reminder to himself there was a picture of them together. Below that the words "_Don't Forget – I love you," _were engraved.

Her lips turned up into a sad smile as fresh tears fell. She looked up at Oswald as he said, "He also left this letter for you."

She took it and put it in her purse so it wouldn't get wet. Alfred was holding the umbrella to block the rain from her, and she pulled Oswald into a quick embrace, "Thank you."

"It's the least I could do, for such an extraordinary young man," Oswald Cobblepot conceded.

She nodded as Bruce, Barbara, Tim, and Alfred led her to the car that would take them to her home. Barbara had offered to stay with her for a few days, so she wouldn't have to be alone. Pamela had accepted it, she didn't want to be alone that night. Her hand never let go of the watch the whole ride to the greenhouse. The only way she knew she was still there was Barbara's arm around her shoulder.

Later that night, Batman went to the Iceberg and picked up the letters Edward had left with Penguin. When he returned to the manor that night he gave Tim the letter Edward had left for him. He told Tim of the time he had to kill the Alchemist that had been murdering people to bring back his lost love. He told him how he had been haunted by that night for a long time. The end of the letter told Tim he had a choice of which path to follow now. It ended with the words, "_Stand up, keep moving forward. You've got a good pair of legs on you. Might as well use them."_

The letter to Batman thanked him. Thanked him for his guidance and wisdom as both the Dark Knight and Bruce Wayne. He wrote that, while he could understand his father's actions he could still not consider the man whose blood ran through his veins a parent. That had he been able to he would have gladly had Bruce as the father he had missed in his life. Bruce didn't think he had gotten a more heart felt thank you from anyone.

Pamela Isley didn't read the letter he left for her that night. She wasn't ready to read what would be Edward's last words to her. She held on to his watch constantly, never letting it go, or setting it too far from her. She held it in her hands at the reading of Edward's will. He had turned over control of the company to her. A sizable amount had been given to Tim Drake "to find his own path." The Company he had built with her was to have control transferred int her name. He had specifically bequeathed the property at the Amestrian Gardens separately. While Pamela would have control of the company, the gardens were hers period. In his will he stated it was "to be her home for as long as she may need it."

Pamela Isley knew she would never leave that place. The rest of Edward's assets and personal belongings were given to her as well, with ten percent to be given to his long time advisor Oswald Cobblepot. It was called his "Commission Fee" in the will. Just having that line in the will like that made Penguin smile.

After he had finished, Penguin looked to Pamela and said, "It seems the young man has made sure you will be taken care of for as long as possible. I know it's little comfort, but I think he wanted to make sure you would be alright in his absence."

Pamela wiped her eyes again, "I know he did. Oswald I should have gone with him. I should have never let him go off knowing he wasn't coming back. If he was going back to that world I should have been with him the whole way."

This wasn't her first breakdown over the last several days. Oswald did the only thing he could do and sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He let her cry on his shoulder for a moment. "I can't know what your going through. I've never felt as deeply for someone like you do for Edward."

"I keep waking up at nights thinking he'll be there, and when he isn't I just can't control myself," she confessed.

"I think, he's going through the same thing. He's not the type to love more then one woman in his life. I think that he will spend the rest of his life feeling the way you do. He'll hide it, he won't have a choice. He'll more then likely bury himself in his work. How many times did you have to drag him away from something to make sure he ate, or slept?" Penguin asked.

Pamela let out a brief laugh, "Far too many to count."

Penguin smiled, "Edward will never forget you. And he will never love anyone but you."

It wasn't much, but for Pamela Isley it was enough for the moment.

–

_One Month Later – Amestris_

The last month had been spent rebuilding Central and helping those who had lost homes and loved ones cope. Edward had spent every moment not helping in recovery in endless meetings. The debrief of four years in an alternate universe was grueling. The Generals and the assembly wanted to know everything, troop strengths, military capabilities, technological advantages of the enemy they may face in the future. Edward had made it clear that the countries of the world he had just came from would be less inclined to attack them as long as they made sure they didn't provoke them. Edward had hoped that Mustang's coup would have at least put less blood thirsty folk in charge. It had, but they were terrified of a repeat of the attempted invasion.

We asked though what if he replied, "People in that world attempt to do the impossible all the time just to see if they can. We can only hope that if a visitor comes to us from that world it is for such benign reasons."

He didn't tell them that he would more then likely ask such a traveler to take him back as well. He didn't tell them the whole story about how he lived in those years. Left out his time spent in that mad house called Arkham Asylum. Left out his relationships with certain people and places. He did tell them he was able to use that worlds freedoms to build up a personal fortune. That he had done things there to make the world he was in better.

Sciezska and Edward worked tirelessly on transcribing and distributing all the information he had brought back with him. The Automail schematics were distributed to all the mechanics and doctors interested. Winry Rockbell had of course gotten first dibs. She stayed in Central to help with the recovery efforts, spending her time either volunteering at the hospital, or assisting people who now needed automail. The rest, the theories and technologies and knowledge was being distributed out to the various military and academic departments where they could do the most good.

Al and Mr. Armstrong spent their time aiding the reconstruction. It had taken some doing but the gang had convinced Alex that his particular taste in architecture would clash with the rest of Central. There was still a lot of work to do in the rebuilding of the city, but it was well on it's way. Al never complained about the hard work, and had a smile on his face every night even though his body ached.

The news was not all good however. During the attack one of the houses hit had belonged to Gracia Hugues. She had been killed, protecting Elysia from falling debris. The now seven year old girl had been orphaned, and in the destruction had lost her left arm. Winry assisted on the surgery to install the port for a new arm, and designed the new piece for Elysia herself. Edward took every moment he could to sit with her. He told Elysia of the gardens he had built, and of the beautiful flowers Pamela grew there. It was no surprise to anyone when Edward adopted her as his own daughter.

That had all occurred in the last month. Elysia was still in the hospital recovering from the surgery. Edward knew it would be a long time road for the girl, but he couldn't let her face it alone. If anyone had any objections they didn't voice them. It was one of the many things Major Roy Mustang had seen his once subordinate, now commanding officer do that had assured him of what he believed true.

That Edward had trained himself partly on how to use flame alchemy as an effective long range disarmament weapon intrigued Roy. He wanted to make sure Ed was properly trained though in the use of such things. The idea of his commanding officer flame-broiling himself in something he was more then capable of teaching didn't leave a good taste in his mouth.

So that was how the two men had come to be in this abandoned field going over the intricacies of gas manipulation and accuracy. Ed had taken the arm and leg he had returned with and reconnected them for the day. Roy had to admit he was impressed with Ed's method of creating a spark to ignite the reaction. It was something that would be immune to rain and moisture, unlike his ignition cloth gloves.

They were taking a break from the more complex aspects of that alchemy, sipping tea from a thermos Hawkeye had prepared for them. Everyone had kept close watch on Ed this last month. They had observed him, compared notes. Winry had noticed several things as had Hawkeye. Al seemed ignorant of several things, but Roy wrote that off as youthful inexperience.

"I don't know if I ever told you this Ed, but I always thought of you as my successor."

Edward arched an eyebrow at Roy, "I was just an arrogant kid who thought he was older then he was back then."

Roy smirked, "True, you did have some growing to do. You were too short tempered half the time. The other half just too short."

A testament to how much his patience had grown over the years was how Roy would describe Edward not blowing up at the comment about his height. Still, something else bothered Edward, "What made you think I could take over for you?"

"Your eyes, the first day I met you. The eyes I saw that day were on fire. It was that fire that got you up and around at a pace no one who had two limbs replaced ever did. That same fire that drove you to finish the exam and get on as a state alchemist at twelve. I saw a boy that in time would grow into a man who would never waver in his determination, never compromise his principles, and never ever forget that even if we were dogs of the military we still served the people. Honestly, if I had fallen you were the only one I knew could handle taking up the reigns and continuing on in my mission," Mustang confessed.

"Well, we at least got half of it right. Got rid of Bradley and the other homunculi. You guys took care of the assembly and put them back in power. It was just the two of us who ended up scarred from it," Edward said. Roy noticed the younger man had reached into his pocket to pull out that watch he carried. Edward hadn't picked up a new state watch yet, there hadn't been an appropriate time really. The younger man was looking at that picture again.

Roy broke his revelry, "In a way I'm luckier then you. At least my most obvious scar can be seen. Even if I still hold on to the scars to my soul from Ishbal, people can see I haven't come through it all whole."

Edward nodded, his fingers tracing the lines of Pamela's image. He closed the watch and put it in his shirt pocket. He always kept that watch close to his heart. As they got back to work Roy had to wonder if that watch really had taken the place of Edward's heart. Or if it would simply protect it for the rest of the young mans days.

Roy Mustang defiantly did not envy Edward's scars. But he understood them better then most could.

–

_One Month Later... Gotham_

It had been a hellish month for Dr. Pamela Isley. Her grief followed her around like an unwanted wraith. Her colleagues saw it, but were polite enough not to point it out. The woman had no time, or desire for empty condolences. She just pushed on through, continuing her and Edward's work as best she could. Bruce Wayne came over often to assist as was needed. The business aspect of the company was something she readily admitted she wasn't comfortable just taking over.

In her spare time over the last month she reran the equations and calculation Edward had left from his own search for a way home. She kept coming to the same conclusions he had. Theoretically feasible, but practically impossible. Then there was the problem of locking on to the right universe. She didn't want to end up in one where Edward had never met her. She wanted HER Edward.

The letter he had left her remained unopened. She kept it close though, sometimes reaching for it and fingering the seal. Then she'd slowly replace it into a lab coat pocket, or a purse. The chain from his watch was always visible to the world though. A chain binding her to him for the rest of eternity. Her heart lived within that watch, she didn't know if it would ever really leave it. Like the home Edward had made for her, she would never be able to bring herself to part with the watch that had the intricate design of a dragon intertwined with the hexagram.

She had a meeting today with Wayne. These were the only meetings she was really comfortable with. The business man knew everything, and Pamela wasn't shy about talking with him. Barbara Gordon wasn't what she would call a friend, but they were at least civil to each other these days. Bruce however was a confidant she needed at times.

But when she entered the office to find him waiting, she didn't know what it was in the air. Either it was Wayne's cologne, something the cleaning staff had missed in the trash, or something but she felt herself getting nauseous. The nausea was just one of the many strange things happening to her body recently. Her hunger had increased and she fatigued easier then she should. She wrote it off as stress most of the time. Her immune system was more then capable of fighting off everything, even old age. She knew that baring a really bad disease or traumatic injury she was practically immortal.

But then why did the room seem to be so unstable, and when did the flood get so close to her? If it weren't for Bruce's reflexes she would have hit the ground hard. The darkness she found herself in was more then a little calming as Bruce laid her out on the ground face up.

When she came too she saw Bruce standing over her, a concerned look on his face, and Winnifred Edwards looking her over. Pamela's voice was strained as she asked, "What happened?"

Winnifred answered, "You fainted. We're just making sure you are okay."

Pamela closed her eyes for a moment, the room seemed much brighter then it should have. She placed her hand on her forehead and just stayed still on the couch she could feel under her. She had a lot of fond memories with that couch and Edward and working late some nights. Seemed everything around her reminded her of him in some way.

"Pam, I think you need to go home for the day. You've been working yourself too hard this last month. I know Edward's death hit you hard. If you don't start taking it easy you are going to burn yourself out. Okay?" Winnifred said.

Pamela was about to rebut that when the nausea came back in force. She was lucky a trash can was close by as she grabbed it, vomiting anything she had eaten away. There really was no arguing with Winnifred when she set her mind on something, and this just strengthened her case. After she was finished she was handed a glass of water to sip. She thanked the doctor and moved to at least sit up.

"I'll have Alfred take her home," Bruce offered. Pamela really couldn't refuse. She didn't know if Bruce carried a bolo on him when out of the costume, but she had no desire to find out. The drive home was quiet, with Alfred offering to come by with some of his chicken soup later. She accepted, knowing she wouldn't be able to fix much herself that night. Maybe something simple was what she needed.

But that didn't make sense to her. She knew her body well, even with the strain she had placed on it the past month. What happened in the office today shouldn't have. She went to her lab bench and began running tests. The garden had been so quiet since the funeral. She would have to arrange for a reopening later.

When the results of her tests all came back exactly the way she expected she didn't understand. Her physiology hadn't changed at all. There were some elevated hormone levels though that were concerning. She ran every test she could think of, or had the equipment for. There was one test she hadn't run, but it couldn't be that. Pamela knew it couldn't possibly be that.

When Alfred, Barbara, and Bruce found her that night hunched over her work bench she was silently weeping. When she turned to them though she had a small smile on her face. The knuckles of her left hand were holding Edward's watch so tightly they had turned white. She just looked at them as she said quietly, "I'm pregnant."

That statement seemed to stun the trio. Barbara pulled her into a tight hug as the men just stood speechless. Pamela answered the unasked questions, "I don't know how it's possible. Everything is the exact same in my physiology as it always has been. I shouldn't even be able to conceive let alone be pregnant. But I am."

"Your certain?" Bruce asked.

Pamela nodded at him, "I ran the tests three times myself to be sure."

No one doubted her skill or her abilities. If she said it, then it had to be so. Still, it seemed a cruel twist of fate to pull on the woman. Fate had taken Edward away form her, and now it had taken their chance to be a family from them.

"I guess this is what 'Act of God' really means. He's gone, but a part of him is still here. I just wish he'd get the chance to know his child. He would have been a wonderful father," Pamela said. Barbara smiled at that.

Alfred made her some tea when the trio took her into the living area of the greenhouse. For Pamela it was really some of the best news she had received in a while. She had spent her life certain she would never have some things. But a boy fell into her world from his own and gave her a new life. For the first time since he had been forced to stay in Amestris, Pamela Isley had some hope for the future.

After the others had left for the night with the promise to check on her and help out as they could she sat in the garden. In her hands was the letter. She felt that now, she was ready to see what was held within. She gently opened the envelope and pulled the letter from within. It still had his scent to it as she unfolded the page.

"_Dear Pamela,_

_If you are reading this, then I have either returned to Amestris without you, or I am dead. I honestly hope it's the later, I don't think I can bare it if we are separated by worlds. I know we never spoke about our relationship in more then just the moment. It was just unspoken between us that when the time came, we had the moment and that was enough. It wasn't though, it never can be._

_I know in the beginning I said my heart belonged to Winry, a girl you probably would never know or care to know. But I hadn't given it to her yet. Sometime over the last four years, it was stolen by a criminal in a green skintight out fit. I caught her, but she never gave my heart back. I didn't really try to hard to get it back though. _

_I can't deny the truth Pamela. I fell for you, hard. Leaving you behind in Gotham is probably one of the hardest things I will ever have to do in my life. If I have passed back beyond the gate then I'm sorry for leaving you. I know it will hurt you and I know I won't be able to come back. There's just too much that has to be done to prepare that world for the threats that I know are coming. I can't call it my world though anymore._

_My world is with you. My heart and my soul. Every day without you will be the Hell I was supposed to be in for my sins. The first time, I was saved by an Angel with hair red as fire on a curtain of fresh ivy. I know for certain I'll never know the love I felt for you ever again in my lifetime._

_If I ever find a way back to you, I can't promise I won't take the risk. And even if I never see you again in the flesh, when I pass from the world of the living I will find you. I can't help myself._

_Yours now, forever, and into the next world,_

_Edward"_

Pamela really couldn't remember the last time she had spent a day without tears falling from her eyes. But this letter, this simple declaration had dried her eyes almost instantly. She couldn't keep the happiest smile she had ever had from spreading across her face. So he had loved her as much as she had loved him. The watch he had left wasn't just a memento, it was his heart. And she would have it for the rest of her days on this world.

She slid her left hand over her stomach, trying to see if she could sense the life growing within her. The letter had given her some hope for the future. At the very least, she had a part of him with her always, no matter what happened.

It was the first full nights sleep she had had since the day he left.

To Be Concluded in Epilogue – One Year Later: I Will Remember

Author's Notes: Background music is Three Doors Down "_When I'm Gone"_ of the album "Away From the Sun."

Thanks to datdude and Ryan slicer.


	7. Epilogue I Will Remember

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Epilogue: One Year Later – I Will Remember

A Fullmetal Alchemist/Batman Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

_Amestris_

It had taken them almost a year to really transcribe and distribute all the knowledge the Fullmetal Alchemist had brought to this world. The automail engineers of Rush Valley had almost rioted when the designs and schematics he brought back had been released. Rockbell Automail had gotten first look at all the designs. It was one of the many things Fullmetal had brought back to the people.

The farmers of Resembool and Xenotine all made use of the knowledge of plant hybrids and advanced botany he gave them. The Triggums were more then helpful getting things together for the newest crops. The academics were still sequestered as they considered the theoretical sciences that had been given to the greatest of Amestris minds to wonder over. Einstein's relativity theory had more then stumped several of them.

Alphonse Elric had returned to Resembool after the reconstruction of Central had been completed. He planned to learn more about Alchemy and help the people of his own town as he could. Several said his temperament would be best for a career in medicine. Al wasn't certain, all he knew was he wanted the small town life, and rebuilt the house he and Edward had burnt to the ground.

Winry had stayed in Central to fit Elysia with an automail left arm. It was the best she could make, taking what she had learned from Edward's designs and schematics. The materials were all based on the specs Fullmetal brought back, ensuring Elysia had the best, lightest, strongest arm Winry had ever made. The little girl was only the second person Winry had met that recovered from surgery in a year. She stayed long enough to help get the little girl settled and recovered. She also returned to Resembool when her work in Central was done.

Col. Edward Elric however did stay in Central. He had gotten a house with a big backyard for him and Elysia. Edward had been determined to ensure her life was lived in safety, and that she would be able to follow her own path when the time came. He never went out, never got drunk, and even though some of his subordinates were concerned he never gave them a real reason to worry. He treated Elysia like his own, helped her adjust to the automail, and made sure she had a good warm bed to sleep in.

Major Roy Mustang had kept a good eye on Edward the entire year. There were times in the office he could see the young man just look out and become lost in thought. He finally had been issued a new watch by the state, but that one seemed to be forever hidden. He only kept it on him for the times he needed it to get something done. The watch he seemed to covet however was the only with the curtain of ivy etched into the cover.

He had worked things out with Hawkeye, getting her to watch over Elysia for the night. The others had left for the night, leaving only Roy and Edward. So far everything was going according to plan. Before Edward had reached the door Roy said, "Come on, how about I buy you a drink?"

"I really should get home, Roy. Elysia is going to expect dinner soon," Edward said.

Roy smirked, "Already taken care of. She's under the watchful care of our own Lt. Hawkeye. She'll be fine for one night without you."

Edward just let out a breath and pulled on his uniform jacked. He had stopped wearing his hair in a braid and had started just pulling it up into a high ponytail. He also seemed to have inherited his father's poor eye sight. The glasses he wore were similar to the ones Hoenheim had worn when Roy met the man. When asked about the change by Al Edward had simply told his younger brother, "I know why he did what he did now. I can't forgive him, but now I can at least understand why. I suppose this is my way of accepting what he did."

They went to the bar Mustang went sometimes with Riza. It was quiet, and they took a booth near the back for some added privacy. Roy figured if he was going to get Edward to open up about what might be bothering him then privacy was crucial. They ordered their drinks and after the barmaid delivered them and left Roy sips his. Edward idly sipped the wine he had ordered, and pulled his watch out. He opened it and looked at the womans picture within. He still hadn't told anyone who that was, or the significance of the date. Only Mustang had seen inside it since Edward had returned to them.

"Did you know I put a greenhouse in the back yard?" Edward said.

"No, I didn't even know you were interested in plants," Roy said.

"I wasn't when I ended up in Gotham. I had meant to read up on the subject but never got the chance while I was here. I spent the first six months there locked up in a ward for the criminally insane. I made the mistake of thinking that with all the advanced technology around me, that the people there would know about alternate worlds. Seemed they just thought I was delusional," Edward said.

He hadn't told anyone anything personal during the debriefings. He had kept it to the purely informative and professional the whole time, "Why would they lock you up with criminals?"

Edward smirked, "They had never seen a man with a metal arm and leg there. Since they thought I was crazy they locked me up with the people they thought were most dangerous. That's where I met her. I was reading a book on botany from the asylums library when she walked up to me," Edward said, his eyes growing distant as a wistful smile slide across his face.

Roy could see the change easily enough, "What was she in for?"

Edward laughed, "She was a criminal. Environmental terrorist, would go after business men who had through their dealings caused major harm to the plants of that world. I was so out of it at the time from the shrinks I didn't care. She sat down next to me, introduced herself, and we spent the next month during common hours just talking. Never about what we were in for, just about plants. Eventually I told her everything about Amestris, about my life here. She didn't hold anything back either. I don't think I've ever met someone who didn't hold something back from me before," Edward said. He sipped his drink slowly.

"What's her name?" Roy asked.

Edward smiled, "Dr. Pamela Isley, but to the world she was more commonly know as Poison Ivy. She had a habit of using poisoned lipstick to kill her targets. A last kiss she called it."

"Can't say it be a bad way to go, looking at that picture there," Roy said, a smirk on his face.

Edward smirked, "I think the only man she ever kissed without intent to kill was me. You, well I think I'd be arranging your funeral if she did."

Both men chuckled for a moment. Edward sipped his wine and continued, "I had figured Alchemy was impossible in that world. First time across the Gate it had been. Once I was in Arkham I just assumed it was the same deal. She got me to try again, and when it worked I broke us both out. She had her hideout on the sight of a toxic waste dump. Some idiot thought it be a good idea to put homes over it. The place was so contaminated she had to give me a shot. Holding back from my fear of needles was hard, but for her I did.

"I cleaned up the place myself that first week. It was easy really once I analyzed the makeup of what was in the ground. Just transmute out the heavy metals, condense them into usable form, then recombine the remaining chemicals into something safe and fertile. The morning she saw my work for the first time on the place, she kissed me without hesitation."

"I guess she liked it," Roy said, finishing his drink and ordering another for him and Edward.

"That's what I said. We got in contact with a local fence and information broker named Oswald Cobblepot. Everyone in Gotham knew him better as the Penguin. A legitimate business man if you ever asked him what he was. He got us as much as he could for all the metals I pulled out. I may have transmuted some of the lead into precious metals. There was more then enough lead, and well let's just say it was legal in Gotham City," Edward smirked.

Roy laughed a little at that, "I guess you needed the money, huh?"

"Boy did we. We set everything up, I bought the property under a dummy corporation and hired a horde of lawyers to get her free and clear," Edward said.

"An awful lot of work to go through for a criminal, Ed," Roy commented.

Edward nodded, "I know, but she was the only one I could really trust at the time. Even the local hero tried to get me to distance myself. I told you about the Batman and his crew. They decided to keep an eye on me. I was a wild card, and she was a known murderer. They were worried she was using me. She never did though. Three nights before she went back to Arkham so the lawyers could do their work she told me I had to reaffirm who I was. Even if that meant going out at night and doing what Batman was doing. But not before we spent the next three days in almost every part of the main greenhouse I had made our home in together," the way Edward said it had Mustang's right eyebrow raising.

"You two..." Roy said, a little envious of his younger comrades exploits.

Edward smirked, "Yea. Almost three days straight. When she went back in, I went out. I spent as much time as I could being coached into the perfect business man by Oswald. Had to keep my temper down when dealing with other business men. I suppose that will come in handy if I have have to negotiate a treaty or something.

"When I wasn't learning that, I was out serving the people in my own way. Amestris isn't the only place that knows the name Fullmetal anymore," Edward smirked at that.

He sipped at his second glass slowly, enjoying the taste of the wine and letting it loosen his tongue more then he normally would. "We stayed together that whole time. She gave up her previous life, and to me she was just Pamela. I don't know when it happened, but sometime over that four years I fell for her."

He handed Roy the watch and let the older man look at the picture. Roy saw the date engraved in it and asked, "What's the date mean?"

Edward smiled, "It was the day we first met in Arkham. She gave it to me on my twenty-first birthday. It was only a day or so later the Gate was opened."

Silence settled between them. Roy couldn't begin to think of how leaving that woman behind had hurt Ed. Then he asked him, "What happened to your issued watch?"

Ed sighed, "I transmuted the case to clear the old date off, had a photograph of the two of us together put in and the words "Don't Forget – I Love You" engraved on it. I left it there with a letter and my last will and testament for her."

"You miss her," Roy said.

"More then anything. It took everything I had in me to not fly back through the Gate to her. Some nights, even when I know the good I've done for Amestris I wish I had," Edward confessed.

"You want to go home to her," Roy said, it wasn't a question.

"More then anything, but I know I can't. The only way would be to risk the Gate opening again, and that's just too big a risk to take," Edward said. Roy handed him back his watch, which Edward closed and placed in the front pocket of his shirt.

"Have you told anyone else?"

He shook his head, "Al and Winry wouldn't understand. They still think I should resign, go back to Resembool, and live a quiet uneventful life out there. I can't do that, that's not me. I have to be involved in whatever world I'm in." A moment of silence fell between the two.

"If it's any consolation to you, I don't think you can really keep two people who are meant for each other apart forever. You of all people know that we are more then just flesh and blood, or steel. Someday, you will be reunited with her. Of that I have no doubt," Roy said. His voice was sympathetic, as if he were speaking to a younger brother and not his superior officer.

Edward smiled and honest grateful smile at Roy, "Thanks, that means a lot to me."

Roy nodded as Ed stood up, thanked him for the drink, and headed home for the night. Roy just finished his drink as he thought about just what Edward had given up for the people of Amestris.

"We all better be deserving of your sacrifices, Edward. I'd hate to think you gave up a chance at true happiness for nothing," Roy muttered to himself.

--

_Gotham_

For Pamela Isley, the year after Edward returned to Amestris had been one trial after another. She spent the entire pregnancy worried she would miscarry, that fate would deal her one more blow. But it didn't. With the help of her friends and colleagues she made it through to term. The day her son was born was probably the happiest day of her life. She named him Marcus Elric.

The first three months of his life she never left him alone, always keeping him close to her. The company had a generous maternity leave policy, thanks to Edward's personal respect for motherhood. She had entrusted day to day operations to Winnifred and Albert, so she wasn't worried about things getting out of hand.

She ran more tests on herself after the pregnancy. Her immune system was still as active as ever, keeping her young and unaffected by age. It was something that to her was a constant. Some day, she may have to figure something out in regards to that. Today however was not the day. She took Marcus all over the greenhouse, exposing him to the various plants and Nina. The combination of dog and girl just adored Marcus, it's deep halting voice calling him "Little Brother."

Pamela knew her next project would be to try to figure out a way to help Nina. During her pregnancy she had taken samples of the chimera and worked over several theories. She had even asked Batman for a sample of his anti-mutagen to see how it would counter act the effects of Nina's father's work. She was close, she could feel it. Maybe Marcus would have a playmate in human form sooner then she thought.

She was changing Marcus' diaper when Barbara Gordon walked in. The other woman had decided to put up her cape and go into the police force. Pamela didn't say anything on it, not wanting to get too involved in the secret lives of the bats these days. She was happy with her life for the time being.

"So how is he today?"

"Fussy, but he's always a little like that when he's hungry. He's so much like his father at times," Pamela said. Marcus just looked up at her with big golden innocent eyes.

"Well, he'll probably be just as smart as he was. He is the son of two genius scientists," Barb said.

"But will he be like his mother and follow a life of crime and villainy, or his father and a life of virtue as a hero. Such is the question that really keeps me up at nights," Pamela said.

Barbara placed a hand on her arm, "He'll be both. Feared by his enemies and loved by his friends. With the two of you as parents he can't not be a strong, confidant, and compassionate human being."

Pamela smiled as she picked him up. She held him against her and smiled as he cooed in his mothers arms. Barbara ran a hand down the babies back as his mother sat down in a rocker Alfred had brought over. She sat there with him, just rocking him back and forth and singing a soft melody. Barbara smiled, watching her one time enemy give herself over to being a caring nurturing mother. It seemed more then appropriate that someone who cared about the world enough to kill for it would be retired from that world by something as simple as a child.

"I still think about him, but I can do so without bursting into tears now. Sometimes I'll see something in a journal that would remind me of one of our discussions, or a glint of steel in the corner of my eye. Some nights I can even still feel him holding me as I go to sleep," Pamela said.

Barbara kept a soft smile on her face, "Even if he's gone, he's still with you. I wouldn't be surprised if one day he came back. After all, the unexpected happens all the time to people like us."

Pamela smiled back, "Yes it does. Doesn't it my little man?"

Maybe it was another trait from his father, but at the sound of the word little he seemed to get slightly more fussy. Pamela laughed and rocked him some more, soothing his temper. Barbara sat down as Pamela started telling the baby a story of the Fullmetal Alchemist. He couldn't understand it yet, but it helped Pamela to tell the baby about his father. When she was done she sat him down, and had dinner with Barbara in the small dining room.

They spoke about the way their lives had been going. It was friendly, and it made the two women feel a little better to have someone to talk to about the simple things in their lives. Their previous lives had them at each others throats, but now they could easily be considered friends after the last few years. The last year especially. The old rivalries had been forgiven, left behind for new lives for the the two women.

--

That night both of them watched the children they had under their care. The moonlight streaming in made both look like angels to the two. They left them to sleep in the night, never very far away. They walked out to their greenhouses, and took a good look at the plants. They pulled out their watches and looked at the pictures in them.

Edward slide a finger along the image of Pamela's cheek, at the same moment that she traced the line of his jaw in the picture she had. When they did, they both felt a ghostly caress where the other had touched the picture. In that moment they were alright.

Edward thought about what Roy had told him. Pamela thought about what she would tell their son one day about his father. Neither felt sad that night, or lonely. The pain in their hearts lessened for that moment. They both looked up at the moon and dreamed of the day they would be together again. Even if it weren't for a thousand years, they knew that someday they would be reunited.

When they went to bed that night, Pamela could feel Edward's arms around her, while Edward felt her pressed against his side.

The End

Authors Notes: This Epilogue is set to Amy Grant's _"I Will Remember You" _off the album "Heart in Motion."

Hope you liked it. There will be a sequel. I hope you like that one as well. I have the soundtrack to Batman: Mask of the Phantasm on order. It should be here in the next week. When it gets here I'll post the OST. Every fic I write gets it's own soundtrack. I'll tack on some notes as well when it gets here.

Coming Soon - Beyond Fullmetal

Thanks to datdude and Ryan slicer.


	8. OST and Notes

The Alchemist, The Plant, and The Detective

Original Fanfiction Soundtrack

Compiled by: Legato Deathscythe

Main Title – Shirley Walker – Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

The Promise – Shirley Walker – Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

First Love – Shirley Walker – Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Rewrite - ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION – Fullmetal Alchemist OST 3

Inside The Fire – Disturbed – Indestructible

Deep Forest - Ooshima Michiru - Fullmetal Alchemist OST 2

A Trap for Time – Kristopher Carter – Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

Brothers (Vocal Version) - Ooshima Michiru - Fullmetal Alchemist OST 1

Arkham Mayhem - Kristopher Carter - Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

Enough – Disturbed – Indestructible

If Today Was Your Last Day – Nickelback – Dark Horse

Darkness – Disturbed – Believe

What Would Happen – Meredith Brooks – Blurring the Edges

Counter Clockwise - Kuniaki Haijima - Macross Zero OST 1

Broken (feat. Amy Lee) – Seether – Disclaimer II

Invasion of the Intruders - Ooshima Michiru - Full Metal Alchemist The Conqueror of Shamballa OST

Guardian of the Motherland - Ooshima Michiru - Full Metal Alchemist The Conqueror of Shamballa OST

Destruction of Shangri-La - Ooshima Michiru - Full Metal Alchemist The Conqueror of Shamballa OST

Sad Resolution ~ Separation - Ooshima Michiru - Full Metal Alchemist The Conqueror of Shamballa OST

Batman's Destiny - Shirley Walker – Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

When I'm Gone – 3 Doors Down – Away From The Sun

I Will Remember You – Amy Grant – Heart in Motion

I Never Even Told You – Tia Carrere – Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Author's Notes: When I first started this fic I didn't expect it to be finished so quickly. Check with the Evangelion section. I got fics been rotting for years I'm still working on. Yet this one seemed to come easily and quickly. I couldn't help the ideas just flowing and I'm not going to bitch about them. Also I have a decent soundtrack for this so you all might enjoy it if you can get the more hard to get tracks. I really think this goes well with the story as I wrote it.

I'm not sure if anyone really cares about why I decided on certain aspects. I chose to go strictly from the Batman: The Animated Series continuity mostly because it is the Batman most true to the original comics. The continuity is sound and has no major issues to deal with. It also let me get away without having to do some of the more weird stuff from the DCU. It also allowed me to set things up for further stories in this universe should I decide to go further.

Poison Ivy seemed the best Batman Character to partner up with Ed. Unlike the rest of the Rouge gallery she's brilliant, dedicated to her cause, and isn't motivated by just greed. Granted, she's still a psychotic, but she's a psychotic with a cause. She's also capable of some very interesting botanical science when push comes to shove, and since Ed is a scientist he'd be interested. Personally I went with the season four redraw of Ivy for how I was thinking about her through the story.

Since it was Batman and not a full on COS repeat I had to get rid of the Nazi's and the Thule society. Frankly though that didn't impede things. The choice of the big end fight being with Ra's al Ghul was decided easily, and as I've told folk before if they wanted a clue they could look at the title of the fic for it. Ra's ALWAYS refers to Batman as "The Detective" so the other names were pretty obvious.

I also shied away from Ed being as... gregarious as he is in the anime. Fact is, after 6 months of psychotherapy, he'd have calmed down a shit load. Especially when he's in a spot without a lot of support. At the End of the Anime and into the start of CoS he's still driven, but a hell of a lot calmer. I felt that had to be the way he was at the start of this.

Pairing wise I went from the fact that Ivy is a seductress as much as she is anything else. And I don't care who you are, at seventeen if you are a guy and a girl like that starts making out with you then it's game over, you lost... but not really. Another reason to stick with the animated series continuity over the comic. In the series they didn't do as much with Ivy's physiology being toxic as they did in the comic. Her poison kisses were done using lipstick.

Also, fact is if your sleeping with someone and living with them for four years straight then one of two things will happen. You will hate the other and wish to kill them! Or you fall for them Hard. That is of course my opinion.

Hope you enjoyed the story. Be sure to tip your waitress!


End file.
